The Quincy City Council on Monday endorsed two grant applications for the "Safe Routes to School" program and agreed to commit $256,000 in city funds for the project.

If the applications are approved through a competitive screening process, one grant for $250,000 would be used to install sidewalks on Maine Street between 30th and 36th, reduce the street from four lanes to three and reconfigure the intersection of 33th and Maine. Meanwhile, a second grant for $206,138 would be used to install sidewalks, curbs, a parking lane and other improvements along the south side of Columbus Road at St. Dominic School.

The city's commitment of $256,000 would go toward the Maine Street project, which calls for extending 33rd Street south so it would lead directly into the QHS parking lot, which is to be reconfigured and expanded by the Quincy School District.

Alderman Mike Rein questioned the proposal to reduce the number of lanes from four to three between 30th and 36th. The street would have one lane on each side of a center turning lane, and parking would no longer be allowed along that stretch.

"I just think the center turn lane is going to cause so much more congestion on that street -- unnecessarily so," Rein said. "I drive up and down that street all the time, and seldom do I see people turning left."

Police Chief Rob Copley spoke in support of the plan to eliminate parking on Maine between 30th and 36th, because he said it creates unsafe conditions.

"It's dangerous, especially at night," he said. "This is a huge safety issue we're going to solve."

Alderman Mike Farha, R-4, said he wanted to make sure the Quincy School District followed through with plans to create more spaces to make up for those lost on Maine.

"To our knowledge, that's what they're going to do," said Chuck Bevelheimer, Quincy's director of planning and development.

--ehusar@whig.com/221-3378