Today, a new foot and bike bridge was installed at Manor Circle and Sir Francis Drake, next to the present vehicular bridge. The prefabricated bridge was delivered and craned into place, an exciting event for the Town! A collaborative effort provided funding for the project. The bridge is a Safe Routes to School (SR2S) project and was paid for through a state grant of $430,000, Transportation Authority of Marin (TAM) funding of $160,000 and Town funds of $50,000. The entire project, once completed, will encompass new and improved Golden Gate Transit bus stop shelters on either side of Sir Francis Drake near the bridge, adjacent sidewalks for walkers and bicyclists to access the bridge, new sidewalks from Marin Road to Olema Road which were installed earlier this year, and will include cross-walks and pedestrian activated signals. The goal of the Safe Routes to Schools program is to reduce local congestion around schools by increasing the number of children walking and biking to school. Fairfax was the first community in Marin County to adopt the SR2S program, but the program’s popularity and adoption around the state is growing. The recommendation for the pedestrian/bicycle bridge emerged from community meetings about improving the Town of Fairfax. The SR2S project has organized families and neighbors to walk to school together and has developed educational programs to teach kids to do it safely. Councilmember David Weinsoff is the Town's liaison to the Safe Routes to Schools program.
Congratulations to Public Works Director Debra Sue Johnson for successfully coordinating this exciting project!
