Daytona Beach, FL - After a fatal traffic accident took the life of First Step Shelter resident 30-year-old Ashley Baker in January the search for solutions began. Tomorrow (March 16), the Volusia County Council is expected to authorize an application to the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for a grant.
FHP: Indiana Woman Struck And Killed On ISB
The resolution is letter G on the consent agenda. When County staff inquired about possible funding from the FDOT, a recently closed FTA 5339 grant that had available funds of $56,000 was reopened to support the project. This particular grant does not require a match
and does not take away from any other grants available to Votran.
The proceeds from the grant are to be used to build a sidewalk and an ADA accessible bus
stop shelter on International Speedway Boulevard (ISB) near the First Step Shelter. Director Victoria Fahlberg said the biggest part of the expense is the sidewalk. "They're asking for a grant to be able to construct the bus stop. In order to do that they need to build a sidewalk, that's about 500 feet long because it needs to go from First Step west to where the bus stop will be located."
Fahlberg said that since Ashley Baker's death, the creation of Ashley's Ride, which is raising money to pay for 'specialized transportation,' like Uber or Lyft. Since its inception last month, Ashley's Ride has raised about $14,000. "We are now in a situation, because of Ashley's Ride, where we are able to provide some financial assistance to people to be able to take other forms of transportation. That's been really great for us."
Ashley's Ride To Benefit First Step Shelter Residents
You can donate to Ashley's Ride by donating at firststepshelter.org. You can make sure your donation goes to Ashley's Ride by filling out the "Your Note for the Donor Scroll."
