The city of Santa Clarita will receive $450,000 from the California Department of Transportation to improve safety for children walking or riding bike to school, Caltrans announced Thursday.

“Safety is Caltrans’ number one priority,” Caltrans Director Malcolm Dougherty said in a statement. “We are committed to providing the highest safety possible for our children as they travel to and from school in California.”

The funding for Santa Clarita – part of a $48.5 million statewide allotment – will be used to construct traffic improvements around Mountainview Elementary School in the Saugus school district and Fair Oaks Ranch Community School in the Sulphur Springs district.

Caltrans awards the money each year under its Safe Routes to School program. Past allocations to Santa Clarita have been used for new sidewalks, bicycle lanes and other safety improvements around other local schools.

The city will use this year’s money to construct raised crosswalks and bulb-outs, install crosswalks and speed feedback signs, and implement a safety education program, Caltrans said.

The work is to be performed at Franks Way/Santa Catarina Road; Cape Jasmine Road between Wren Drive and Sassafrass Court; and Garnet Canyon Road between Cypress Place and the north corner of the school property (at the south corner of Pacific Crest Park.)