Albany -- Governor Eliot Spitzer Thursday launched a new initiative that will use $32.1 million in federal funding to support school-based transportation infrastructure improvements and public education campaigns across the state to promote safe routes to school.

The intent of Safe Routes to School is to enable and encourage children to walk or bicycle to school; help children adopt a more healthy and active lifestyle by making bicycling and walking a safer and more appealing transportation alternative; and facilitate the planning, development and implementation of transportation projects that will improve safety while reducing traffic, fuel consumption and air pollution in the vicinity of schools.

Under this program, which was created by federal law in 2005, federal funding is made available to each state based upon its population of kindergarten through eighth grade students. NYSDOT, which administers the program, will reimburse 100 percent of project costs for successful applicants.

By law, 70 and 90 percent of funding will be used on targeted infrastructure improvements located within a two-mile radius of an elementary or middle school. This could include installation of traffic signals or crosswalks, construction or rehabilitation of sidewalks and traffic mitigation measures.

Between 10 and 30 percent of funding will be provided to local municipalities, school districts, police agencies and non-profit organizations for non-infrastructure public education and outreach projects. This may include conducting police enforcement operations and developing education programs for parents and children on the benefits of walking or bicycling to school.