Students in at least four Selma City Schools will have new, improved routes to school under a $450,000 grant from Routes to Safe Schools, administered by the Alabama Department of Transportation.

On Wednesday, the project team met to hash out a preliminary schedule, which would allow the city to begin construction soon.

Members of the project team are Charlotte Griffeth, Selma Planning and Development; Ray Matiews, Selma City Schools; Patrick Waylor, and Church Kelly, both of Kelly Landscapes and Bill Luckerson of ALDOT. Selma City Councilwoman Monica Newton of Ward 3 also attended the meeting.

Initial work calls for the landscape architects to begin base mapping and a preliminary site design, which will be submitted to ALDOT before the project is advertised for bids. The bids should be received by April 2011, said Newton.

“It’s a new rule for ALDOT, but ALDOT wants construction to take place when school is not in session,” Newton said. “It will fit in with our plans, anyway.”

Here are the plans by school:

• Knox: Install overhead warning beacons on Franklin Avenue, $44,000; Install speed radar devices on Franklin Avenue, $10,000; bicycle racks, $1,200; concrete slab for bike rack, $1,000; bicycle locks, $600; crosswalk restriping with special traffic tape, $16,200; install railroad pedestrian cross on Mabry Street, asphalt to top of rail, two stop arm signs, $60,000; safety signs, $1,500; portable traffic signs used by crossing guards, $1,000; high visibility garments, $200; flashing school sign at Mabry and J. L. Chestnut, $8, 680 and install sidewalk, $4,800

• Byrd: Install raised crosswalk 4-to-6-inches above current road surface, $23,440; overhead warning beacons on J.L. Chestnut Boulevard, $44,000; install speed radar devices on J.L. Chestnut Boulevard, $10,000; install stop arm device at McLeod and Lapsley Street, $5,000; bicycle racks, $1,200; concrete slab for bike rack, $1,000; bicycle locks, $600; install sidewalk at McLeod and Pettus, $400; crosswalk restriping with special traffic tape, $40,500; safety signs, $2,400; curb cut out on Lapsley Street, $2,000; and portable traffic signs used by crossing guards, $1,000

• Payne: Install raised crosswalk 4-tp-6 inches above current road surface, $11,700; overhead warning beacons on Franklin Avenue, $44,000; install speed radar devices on Franklin Avenue, $10,000; bicycle racks, $1,200; concrete slab for bike rack, $1,000; bicycle locks, $600’ crosswalk restriping with special traffic tape, $22,680; portable traffic signs used by crossing guards, $1,000; high visibility garments, $200; channelizing device installed on Franklin Avenue, $2,000; restripe with traffic tape on adjacent streets, $1,800; and install handicap ramp in front of school on both sides of Franklin Avenue, $10,000

• Meadowview: Install raised crosswalk 4-to-6 inches above current road surface, $11,720; overhead warning beacons on Old Orrville Road, $44,000; install speed radar devices on Old Orrville Road, $10,000; bicycle racks, $1,200; concrete slab for bike rack, $1,000; bicycle locks, $600; install sidewalk beside school, $1,700; crosswalk restriping with special traffic tape, $16,200; safety signs, $1,500; portable traffic signs used by crossing guards, $1,000 and high visibility garments, $200.