Coos Bay council accepts Safe Routes to School plan for three schools, paving way for ODOT construction grants

The Coos Bay City Council voted to accept the 2025 Safe Routes to School planning document covering Sunset School, Destinations Academy and Marshfield High School, a step staff said is needed to pursue ODOT construction grants set to open in January 2026. Council acceptance does not commit city funds for construction but establishes preferred projects and cost estimates that will be used in grant applications.

The planning effort, funded by an ODOT planning grant in 2024, convened a project management team including the three schools, the Downtown Association, Empire Coalition, ODOT, parks commissioners and city staff. The team conducted site visits, observed traffic and pedestrian patterns, and recommended a bundled set of prioritized projects for each school.

For Marshfield High School the consultant and PMT recommended a bundle of projects (numbered in the plan as Projects 1, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12 and 15) that include ADA sidewalk repairs, crosswalks, modifications to rapid‑flashing beacons, new signage at Hall Avenue and South Seventh Street, and a hardened centerline or raised median on South Furnace Street north of Hall Avenue to prevent illegal left turns from the high‑school parking lot. For Destinations Academy the team recommended establishing a leading pedestrian interval at South Tenth Street and Central Avenue to give pedestrians a head start across the intersection. For Sunset School the preferred projects include a designated drop‑off lane on Michigan Avenue, replacement of a bent signpost at Michigan and Madison, and ADA curb ramps with a high‑visibility crosswalk at Maryland and Madison; an additional package on Shoneman and nearby blocks would add curb ramps, crosswalks and sharrows.

Staff told council that accepting the plan will make the city positioned to apply for ODOT’s Safe Routes to School construction grants, which staff said are expected to award projects in the $2 million to $3 million range. "If accepted by council, it will be helpful should the city apply for a construction grant through the SRTS program," staff said.

Council members praised the report and noted concern about driver speeds near schools. One councilor pointed out that many streets targeted in the plan are wider than typical and have room for the proposed improvements. The motion to accept the plan was moved and seconded and passed without recorded opposition.

Staff said the construction grant window is expected to open in January 2026 and that the plan includes cost estimates and prioritized project lists to support grant applications. The acceptance establishes recommended projects but does not itself authorize construction; council will consider funding and grant applications in subsequent agenda items as needed.