National City officials unveiled a $1.8 million package of safety improvements Thursday along an eight-block stretch near Kimball Elementary School.
The upgrades to Coolidge Avenue and West 18th Street included widening sidewalks and adding a half-mile of new bike lanes, pedestrian curb ramps and measures to slow traffic, according to city officials. New signage, lighting and landscaping were also added.
"As an older, dense and metropolitan community it is imperative to have our community as walkable and our routes to our schools as safe and convenient as possible," National City Mayor Ron Morrison said. "This is just one more example of our community rising to the task."
Students, parents, school staff and community members tested the improved route as they walked to the school along Coolidge Avenue.
"We had support from every organization here in the city to walk to school with us, just to tell students and remind them that walking to school is good and healthy, and it's also safe in the neighborhood with all this work that we've done," Kimball Principal Sonia Ruan told CBS8.
Officials said the improvements were the product of an effort by the city, the National School District, Kimball Elementary School and neighborhood residents.
City officials said the improvements were funded using money from the Federal Safe Routes to School Grant, the San Diego Association of Governments and local TransNet and gas tax funds.
