Hite, Nutter announce plan for safe routes this Fall

PHILADELPHIA - August 9, 2013 (WPVI) -- Plans are moving forward for the start of the Philadelphia school year, just one day after School Superintendent William Hite issued a dire warning about funding and safety.

Friday morning, Hite and Mayor Michael Nutter announced a new walk safety program for students attending new schools this Fall.

Education Works and the Bicycle Coalition created 30 safe routes, mostly for the city's elementary school students. The routes will be lined with volunteers before and after school.

Nutter says the plans have been in the works for months. But Hite's demand for $50-million to open schools on time loomed large over this morning's event.

"I'm certainly fully optimistic that schools will open at some point, hopefully on the scheduled first day of school, September 9th, and that they are safe. But they will open nonetheless, and we need to make sure that we have safe routes and let the public know what those routes are while others of us work on the school funding issues," the mayor said.

Hite announced Thursday that the district needs $50-million by next Friday in order to open schools on time and to operate safely.

For more information on the safe routes project visit WalkSafePHL.org.

Get more Local/State »

philadelphia, school, education, philadelphia school district, mayor michael nutter, local/state

• Comment Now
• Email
• Print
• Report a typo
•