Officials say 2016 Safe Routes recommendations largely undone; county and ODOT coordination needed

Councilors reviewed a Safe Routes to Schools report and said much of the 2016 work remains undone. One participant summarized the shortfall bluntly: "90% of it is still undone," an observation that framed a broader discussion of barriers to progress.

Speakers explained two funding and jurisdictional complications: first, eligibility for some Safe Routes grants is tied to income thresholds that can exclude parts of the community; second, key crossings (including James/Westfield and a nearby railroad crossing) are under county or railroad control, complicating city-led fixes. Officials said Union Pacific has required upfront engineering engagement to discuss crossing updates and that that step alone might cost on the order of tens of thousands of dollars'with full crossing upgrades potentially costing hundreds of thousands to millions, depending on scope.

City and county staff said they are pursuing preliminary design and a pedestrian-safety audit to identify 'hot spots' for investment and to make grant requests competitive. Council members signaled willingness to partner and to explore design funding and grant-seeking as an incremental approach.