EMS ISD is pleased to join a new community initiative to work towards improvements in our area road infrastructure for increased safety and connectivity for our community. This initiative, called #Connect4Safety, is designed to encourage partnerships and participation from neighborhoods, cities, schools, and community organizations. 

The communities served by EMS ISD are seeing rapid growth and the roads and accompanying safety features are no longer adequate to serve the population. There have been numerous accidents and even loss of life that have resulted from accidents in various locations across the area.

“Our community has felt the injury, and even the devastating loss, of students and family members. While the circumstances of these accidents differ, they have one similarity,” wrote EMS ISD Superintendent, Dr. Jim F. Chadwell, in his September 6 email to EMS families. “They all occurred where there are no sidewalks or safe passageways in our community.” 

This project was initiated by a desire to create a safer environment for the district’s students and for the community at large. While EMS ISD is a founding partner, Connect4Safety goes beyond the school district in an effort to connect all citizens of the community to a common cause and purpose. The roads and projects identified by the Connect4Safety initiative are all under the jurisdiction and oversight of either the State (TxDOT), Tarrant County, or the cities that make up EMS ISD.

By working together to keep these issues in front of decision-makers and community leaders, the Connect4Safety team believes that these collective voices can result in improved safety on our roads, streets, and sidewalks. 

“We believe our efforts can help create safe passageways for school children, improve the ability to walk and bike safely from home to resources in the community, and have infrastructure that supports our vibrant, growing community,” Chadwell said. 

Those interested in learning more about #Connect4Safety are encouraged to visit the new #Connect4Safety website at connect4safety.org. Visitors to the website also have the opportunity to sign up for alerts to receive updates specifically about Connect4Safety projects. 

The District is looking for solutions to some of the greatest infrastructure-related challenges along with partners who are also committed to making this a safer community for everyone. The City of Fort Worth May 2022 Bond Program was approved with 67% support and has $360 million in spending for streets and mobility-related projects. The bond takes steps toward addressing a variety of needs throughout the city and is a great move in the right direction. The strong support for the city’s bond referendum shows that these issues are important to members of our community. In addition, the City of Saginaw has taken the lead to prioritize safety with projects like the bridge to Bailey-Boswell Road, which is designed to improve east-west connectivity, and roundabouts and road expansions to facilitate more efficient and safer flow of traffic on secondary thoroughfares.

“As school leaders, we aim to continue addressing issues throughout our district and increasing safety for everyone in our community,” Chadwell said. “It is a privilege to be able to serve students across the 73 square miles of our district, and we take our role in keeping them safe in and out of the classroom very seriously.”

To find out more, please visit the Connect4Safety website and sign up for the project alerts to stay informed and involved.