LOVELAND - The City of Loveland has been awarded a $117,307 grant by the Colorado Department of Transportation's Safe Routes to School Program.

The money will be used to put into action projects that will encourage children to walk and bike safely to school. The program helps communities create street environments that are pedestrian and bicycle friendly, reducing the use of cars for school transport.

The initiative is meant to both reduce emissions and keep children active.

Specifically, the money will be used to facilitate a construction project to fill in a missing link of trail along Madison Avenue north of E. 29th Street in Loveland.

"The proposed improvements will make this a more bike and pedestrian friendly trail and reduce the need for district busing," said Nansi Crom, transportation director for the Thompson School District.