By John Kiesewetter
The Cincinnati Enquirer

HAMILTON - A sidewalk connecting Edgewood High School and Trenton will be one of nearly three dozen projects in Butler County's Community Development program this year.

The 0.6-mile walkway east of the school to the city limits at Wayne-Madison Road will be constructed with $212,000 in federal funds. It's the largest single project in the county's $2.28 million community development program presented to Butler County commissioners Thursday.

The lack of sidewalks forces students to walk after school along the berm of busy Ohio 73, with their backs to traffic, or near a ditch along the road.

"It's just not safe," said Larry Knapp, Edgewood Schools assistant superintendent. "Any given day, you see kids walking along the highway."

The sidewalk also will provide access by bike or foot from Trenton neighborhoods to the high school's tennis courts, athletic fields and picnic shelter during summer break, weekends and evenings. The project was a joint request by Edgewood Schools, Trenton and St. Clair Township, says Donna Everson, county community development administrator.

"This is a real home run for the city of Trenton and Edgewood Schools," says John Thomas, Edgewood community relations director.

This year's federal community development and housing funds are about $30,000 less than last year. However, the county also has been promised $121,530 in a new federal homeownership assistance program, the American Dream Down Payment Initiative, to begin later this year, Everson said.

E-mail jkiesewetter@enquirer.com