Walking and cycling from one of the most popular off-campus residential neighbourhoods to Brock University is about to get safer.

The Province of Ontario, the City of Thorold, the Niagara Region and Brock University are all contributing to build a network of bike lanes and paths that will stretch from the Confederation Heights neighbourhood to the Brock campus.

Outgoing Brock University Students’ Union Vice-President, External Affairs, Antonio Sergi, called the move a win for students.

“It’s extremely reassuring that students’ wants, needs and concerns are being heard,” he said. “I think it’s good for Brock’s long-term vision of student safety and retainment.”

Sergi and others from BUSU have been lobbying for the improved cycling infrastructure. In October, 2012, a 19-year-old Brock student was killed while cycling on Merrittville Highway near Decew Rd.

The upcoming work will see the bike path on the eastern edge of the Brock University campus near Zone 2, which runs parallel to Merrittville Highway, extended by the University to the intersection of Schmon Parkway, which has a crosswalk and traffic lights installed.

The Region will install bike paths and lighting along Merrittville down to Decew and then the City of Thorold will expand the roadway to include bike lanes and lighting from Merrittville to Confederation Heights.

The final piece of the puzzle came last week when the province announced $662,000 in funding for Niagara through its Ontario Municipal Cycling Infrastructure Program. Of that, $325,000 will go toward the plans for the new bike lanes and paths near Brock.