- Jim Wells County leaders received a $1.3 million grant to help pedestrians.
- Phase one for Highway 281 Pedestrian Connectivity and Accessibility Sidewalk Project.
- Student safety is important.
Jim Wells County leaders received a $1.3 million grant from the state to help people move across Highway 281. The goal is connectivity and accessibility for pedestrians.
Works crews in Jim Wells County will begin phase one of the Highway 281 Pedestrian Connectivity and Accessibility Sidewalk project.
According to county leaders, the work focuses on sidewalks in the town of Ben Bolt, six miles south of Alice, and doesn’t go further than the overpass.
The students who live near the two school campuses must observe for traffic, high grass, and other dangers, County Commissioner Wicho Gonzalez Sr. for Precinct 4 said.
“Because it was something that was so much called for by the community. We’ve had – before we got the overpass we had some accidents there. Then they built the overpass – which was great. But the walking from that side of town to the high school - it’s just so unsafe. Rainy days – kids walking on the side of the road, and it was just so unsafe,” Gonzalez said.
When Commissioner Wicho Gonzalez took over, he said sidewalks and their safety became a big issue. When a grant became available commissioners didn’t wait to apply. For that – school leaders are grateful.
“Student safety is our number one concern. We do have a lot of walkers in our district. So, being able to do this in collaboration with Commissioner Gonzalez is definitely an asset for our school district," Victoria Joslin – Interim Superintendent at Ben Bolt-Palito Blanco ISD said."It’s going to be very beneficial for our students to now have an access point to walk and get to school daily.”
Joslin said she has a lot of students walking in the morning and after school. Their safety is always a concern.
“It’s a great thing because they do need the sidewalk. The sidewalk will be used – of course – by our constituents from Ben Bolt, our high school students, and our elementary students," Jim Wells County Judge Pedro “Pete” Trevino Jr., said."They don’t get that right now. And it’s a big thing for a small community to benefit from a grant like this.”
The county judge said this is just the start of what’s to come for the small town. He believes sidewalks get people moving.
Commissioner Wicho Gonzalez said the project is important to help ensure everyone’s safety. Construction is expected to begin in 2025.
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