WEST MILTON -- ABC 22/ FOX 45 is working to get results for you. For the last two nights, we've told you about local school children that have to walk in the street because there is no sidewalk near their school.
Parents, school officials and quite frankly, we don't think it is safe. The problem is the project is taking three years. We said that isn't good enough.
For the last two nights we've highlighted the problems at a local school community that just wants sidewalks for their children.
City officials want change.
âThere are no sidewalks and this is a very busy street,â said West Milton municipal manager Matt Kline.
Parents definitely want change.
"It's very dangerous, especially in the night because there's no lighting, also when the cars come around here they don't really stop so it's really dangerous. There's no sidewalks; you don't see the kids walking," said parent Carla Lewis.
So Wednesday we asked ODOT why it's taking three years for Milton Union students to get sidewalks on their way to school.
âIt is unique unfortunately when building a sidewalk for kids to get to school safe for that there is so much federal red tape,â said Steve Faulkner of ODOT.
âWe are using federal money and when that happens you get a lot of strings attached to that.â
We showed both stories to Senator Sherrod Brown.
âIt's a sidewalk, it's not I-75 widening,â said Brown. âThere aren't trucks driving over the sidewalks. There are young people and dogs walking over it. It doesn't have to have the same criteria to do this.â
Brown agrees it's ridiculous to give the same rules and regulations to sidewalks as the state gives major interstate changes.
âWe will work with the school district, our reading of the laws say that ODOT can move forward. This doesn't need the environmental impact and the investigation of what a super highway will be, these are sidewalks that won't have the stress of a semi truck going over them,â Brown added.
And now, he says because of our stories, it's time for a change.
âWe're more than looking into it, we will work with them, figure out a way we can help them get this done faster. It shouldn't take this long. We will get on it with the local school district. We'll talk with ODOT again. We'll get the governor involved if need be,â said Brown.
We will be checking back in with Senator Brown and the school district to see if this project's timeline can be shortened and to see what needs to be done in the future so other school districts don't have to go through the same delays.
See Related Stories:
Change Coming for K-12 Students Walking to School Without Sidewalks
FOLLOW UP: ODOT Responds to Three Year Wait for School Sidewalks
Connect with ABC 22/FOX 45 Reporter Wale Aliyu on Facebook and Twitter.
Parents, school officials and quite frankly, we don't think it is safe. The problem is the project is taking three years. We said that isn't good enough.
For the last two nights we've highlighted the problems at a local school community that just wants sidewalks for their children.
City officials want change.
âThere are no sidewalks and this is a very busy street,â said West Milton municipal manager Matt Kline.
Parents definitely want change.
"It's very dangerous, especially in the night because there's no lighting, also when the cars come around here they don't really stop so it's really dangerous. There's no sidewalks; you don't see the kids walking," said parent Carla Lewis.
So Wednesday we asked ODOT why it's taking three years for Milton Union students to get sidewalks on their way to school.
âIt is unique unfortunately when building a sidewalk for kids to get to school safe for that there is so much federal red tape,â said Steve Faulkner of ODOT.
âWe are using federal money and when that happens you get a lot of strings attached to that.â
We showed both stories to Senator Sherrod Brown.
âIt's a sidewalk, it's not I-75 widening,â said Brown. âThere aren't trucks driving over the sidewalks. There are young people and dogs walking over it. It doesn't have to have the same criteria to do this.â
Brown agrees it's ridiculous to give the same rules and regulations to sidewalks as the state gives major interstate changes.
âWe will work with the school district, our reading of the laws say that ODOT can move forward. This doesn't need the environmental impact and the investigation of what a super highway will be, these are sidewalks that won't have the stress of a semi truck going over them,â Brown added.
And now, he says because of our stories, it's time for a change.
âWe're more than looking into it, we will work with them, figure out a way we can help them get this done faster. It shouldn't take this long. We will get on it with the local school district. We'll talk with ODOT again. We'll get the governor involved if need be,â said Brown.
We will be checking back in with Senator Brown and the school district to see if this project's timeline can be shortened and to see what needs to be done in the future so other school districts don't have to go through the same delays.
See Related Stories:
Change Coming for K-12 Students Walking to School Without Sidewalks
FOLLOW UP: ODOT Responds to Three Year Wait for School Sidewalks
Connect with ABC 22/FOX 45 Reporter Wale Aliyu on Facebook and Twitter.