History

On October 23, 2012, a Leesville Road High School student was struck in the crosswalk and seriously injured walking home from a football game. This incident prompted the area residents and school community into action to create the Leesville Community Safety Taskforce. The group’s goal is to raise awareness of bicycle and pedestrian safety concerns in the Leesville Community, to share and plan safety activities, and to develop a plan to improve the existing infrastructure so that residents are able to safely walk and bike in and around their neighborhood.

The group worked with City planners and law enforcement to develop a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) plan for their community. After failing to get a State grant to fund infrastructure improvements and safety programming, the City was able to help secure nearly $450,000 from the CAMPO LAPP program in 2015 to fund bike and sidewalk improvements around the schools. 

The Leesville Road Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) project will install new sidewalks and bicycle facilities along O'Neal Drive, Pride Way, Country Trail, and on the school property. Additional improvements include curb ramp installations, and crosswalks with pedestrian signals at O’Neal Drive/Leesville Road.