Safer Routes to Lake Schools: Hartville Wants Your Input

Could getting to and from school be safer for Lake students and families? The Village of Hartville and Lake Local Schools are developing a School Travel Plan, and parents and community members have an opportunity to help shape it.

The plan focuses on improving the safety, accessibility, and connections of travel to and from school—whether students walk, bike, ride the bus, or arrive by car.

What improvements are being considered?

The project website includes maps showing proposed improvements around Lake Primary, Lake Elementary, and Lake Middle High School.

Potential improvements include:

• Better walking and biking connections.

• High visibility crosswalks.

• Flashing pedestrian crossing beacons.

• Traffic-calming measures, roadway improvements, and signage.

The planning process builds on feedback already gathered from parents, students, staff, and community members about school travel patterns and concerns.

These improvements are still proposals. The completed plan will help the Village and school district prioritize future projects, coordinate their efforts, and identify potential funding. It does not mean every proposed improvement has funding or a construction date.

Attend a meeting and share your feedback

Parents and community members are encouraged to stop by public involvement meetings during parent-teacher conference nights. Attendees can review the proposed projects, ask questions, and share concerns or suggestions.

LocationDateTimeLake Middle High SchoolOctober 6, 20263:30–8 p.m.Lake ElementaryOctober 7, 20263:30–8 p.m.

These opportunities are open to community members as well as parents. If you regularly travel near the schools, your observations could help the planning team understand where improvements would make a difference.

Can’t attend? Submit comments online

You can also review the project maps and leave feedback through the Hartville School Travel Plan website.

Online comments are due November 1, 2026.

When submitting feedback, identify the specific location and explain what you have observed—for example, a difficult crossing, a gap in a walking route, or a visibility concern.

Why this matters locally

School travel affects students, families, nearby neighbors, and people driving through the area. This planning process gives the community a chance to identify concerns and help guide practical improvements.

If there’s a spot near our schools you’ve wished someone would take a closer look at, this is an opportunity to bring it to the planning team’s attention.

I’m Jenn McKeever, a local Realtor sharing community updates around Hartville, Lake Township, and Northeast Ohio. Follow along for more local news and information about the communities we call home.

Source: Hartville School Travel Plan project website and the public involvement meeting announcement.