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Richfield board adopts 2025 Safe Routes to School comprehensive plan with city partnership
Summary
The board unanimously approved a two-part Safe Routes to School comprehensive plan on Oct. 27. The plan, developed with Alta Planning & Design and the City of Richfield, identifies 44 infrastructure opportunities and programming priorities to increase walking and biking accessibility and safety.
The Richfield School Board on Oct. 27 approved the 2025 Richfield Safe Routes to School comprehensive plan, a coordinated infrastructure-and-programming roadmap developed with the City of Richfield and consultant Alta Planning & Design.
Presenters said the plan identifies 44 infrastructure opportunities (11 low-cost, 17 medium-cost, 4 high-cost and 12 already in progress or programmed), and recommends programming to sustain coordinator funding, hold encouragement days (walk/bike-to-school), run caregiver workshops, pilot warm-weather gear distribution and launch walking/biking "bus" pilot projects supported by stipends. City transportation engineer Matt Hartiger told the board that the district and city together secured about $2.6 million for infrastructure in recent years ($1.9 million state and federal grants with roughly $700,000 in city match) and that Sheridan Hills, STEM, RDLS and Centennial projects are in various stages of completion or planning.
Nut graf: The plan combines capital recommendations (sidewalks, crosswalks, raised crossings, curb bump-outs) with sustained programming to increase safety and access for students who walk or bike to school. Board members emphasized middle- and high-school drop-off safety as priorities for the next implementation steps.
During the discussion, board members raised enforcement limits, alternative drop-off locations, and requested a concise one-page summary showing priority and cost tiers for quicker reference. Presenters said draft concepts for middle- and high-school improvements exist but funding and timelines are not yet finalized; Sheridan Hills is already programmed for work. Director Tim Brackett (Safe Routes coordinator) reported outreach engagement with 617 community participants, including 31 students and strong Spanish-language participation on surveys.
The motion to approve the plan was made by Director Kirk Spencer and seconded by Director Liss; the board voted in favor. Staff said the plan will be used to prioritize applications for grants and to coordinate projects with MnDOT, Hennepin County and city capital schedules.
