Resident asks Huntington board to back sidewalks and Safe Routes grant support

Karen Lovelace, a Huntington resident and parent, told the Board of Education on Dec. 8 that gaps in sidewalks near neighborhood schools make walking unsafe and urged the board to publicly back efforts to complete them.

"For many families in our district, our local school is less than a mile from home, but gaps in the sidewalk, especially along narrow stretches and blind curves, make even the shortest walks unsafe," Lovelace said. She said a petition circulated among local residents to complete the South Down Road sidewalk gaps "now has more than 200 signatures," and asked the board to consider a resolution or letter of support because many state and federal grants, including the federal Safe Routes to School grant, require school involvement.

Lovelace described day‑to‑day impacts on families: uneven shoulders that force parents to walk children in the street during drop‑off and pickup and added vehicle trips when parents feel they must drive. She said residents will bring the issue to the town board the following day and that a district endorsement would strengthen the town’s ability to secure funding.

The board did not take a formal vote or adopt a resolution during the meeting. The public‑comment period concluded and the meeting proceeded to remaining agenda items and adjournment.