CTUIR breaking ground on walking paths for students and community soon

MISSION, Ore. - The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation will soon be breaking ground on new walking paths near the Nixyaawii Governance Center.

Two different walkways are planned under the $1.5 Million project; one is called "Safe Routes to School Path" and the other is a "Community Paths" trail.

The walking paths are intended to serve the Nixyaawii Community School students and staff, including Head Start students. They will also give bicycle access to the governance center and Yellowhawk Tribal Health Center.

Starting at Mission Road along Highway 331, the Safe Routes concrete sidewalk will go 1,200 feet up to Timine Way. The Community path's asphalt trail will break off the Safe Routes sidewalk to join up with the current path on the north side of the governance center.

The two paths will also add wheelchair accessibility, crosswalks and lighting. The projects are being funded by $1.44 million in ODOT grants and the $65,000 from CTUIR's Capital Improvement Fund.

The Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation is the first tribal recipient of of the Safe Routes to School and Community Paths programs. The CTUIR Transportation Planner, Dani Schulte, said, "We had to work through a lot of unique hurdles being the first, but I hope that means other Oregon tribes will have an easier time given what Safe Routes has learned, and we will too when we apply for future funding rounds."

The Safe Routes sidewalk is contracted to Eastern Oregon Contracting in Milton-Freewater and the Community Path Trail will be built by Bryson Picard Grading & Excavating in Pendleton.

Construction is planned to start in April and should last about two months.

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