28 | FEBRUARY 27 • 2020 

Jews in the D

Yeshiva Beth Yehudah and Oak Park 
to improve pedestrian safety.

Y

eshiva Beth Yehudah 
Schools and the City 
of Oak Park have 
received a grant to construct 
safer pedestrian routes to 
help students cross busy 
intersections at 10 Mile Road 
and Lincoln Road.
The $464,321 grant to the 
Jewish educational institu-
tion from the Safe Routes to 
School (SRTS) program was 
announced at the Oak Park 
City Council Meeting on Feb. 
17. SRTS is facilitated by state 
agencies through the Federal 
Highway Administration to 
enhance pedestrian walkways 
and traffic signals for com-
munities nationwide.
“
A great deal of the stu-
dents live south of 10 Mile 
Road, and there were only 
one or two major crossing 
points points at Greenfield 
and Church Street,” Oak 
Park Director of Technical 
and Planning Robert Barrett 
told the Jewish News. “We 
felt there was an opportunity 
and need to improve the kids’
 
routes to schools and to help 
make it safer.”
Barrett explained that 
city and school officials 
determine areas of concern 
through surveying parents 

and students and imple-
menting “a walking audit” to 
observe how kids travel to 
and from school.
Adjustments at the follow-
ing locations are outlined in 
Yeshiva Beth Yehudah’
s grant 
award:
• Enhancements to the traf-
fic signal at Church Street 
and 10 Mile Road.
• A High-intensity Activated 
Crosswalk (HAWK) signal 
and pedestrian island at Rue 
Versailles Drive and 10 Mile 
Road.
 • A rapid flashing beacon 
located at Marlow Place and 
Lincoln Street.
“The improvements to the 
pedestrian infrastructure on 
10 Mile are long overdue,” 
Oak Park City Manager Erik 
Tungate said in statement. 
“With these grant dollars, we 
are going to create a safer, 
more walkable district for all 
of our residents and especial-
ly our school-aged children.”
Construction is expect-
ed to be under way by July 
2020 and be completed by 
early fall.
A Yeshiva Beth Yehudah 
representative could not be 
reached for comment for this 
story. 

ALLISON JACOBS DIGITAL EDITOR

CITY OF OAK PARK FACEBOOK

Safety First

PHOTO CREDIT JERRY ZOLYNSKY

To shine the public spotlight on young people in our 

community, the JN, Jfamily and the Youth Professionals 

Network created Rising Stars: Teens Making a Difference, a 

showcase that will highlight 18 remarkable Jewish teens in 

the Metro Detroit area. Those selected will be featured in 

the April 30 issue of the JN and will also be recognized on 

the JN, JCC and Jfamily social media pages.

Nominees must live in Michigan, identify as Jewish and be

students in grades 9-12; they can be self-nominated or may 

be nominated by others today through March 8.

Nominees should be recognized for impact, contribution 

and/ or achievement in areas including (but not limited) to:


SEEKING
TERRIFIC TEENS!

To nominate yourself or a teen you know, go to 

thejewishnews.com and click on the Rising Stars button or to

https://jfamily.jccdet.org/rising-stars. The deadline is March 8.

