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The state awarded $500,000 to Niles and $77,000 to Howland for sidewalk work as part of a program to make it safer and easier for students to get to schools.
The two Trumbull County communities were among 17 that received a total of about $8.8 million from this year's Ohio Department of Transportation's Safe Routes to School program. The funding was announced Thursday.
The grant for Niles is to upgrade and install sidewalks, crosswalks and traffic signals by the middle school. It will be done in 2029.
The Howland grant is to construct 5,931 linear feet of sidewalks along the east side of Niles Cortland Road NE between High Street and Carriage Hill by the school district's campus. It will be done in 2028.
ODOT referred to that section as "the most significant gap in the corridor" and would establish "the foundation for the full project completion."
The Safe Routes to School program is designed to help communities build and improve infrastructure near schools. That includes sidewalks, crosswalks and bike lanes.
Gov. Mike DeWine said: "Investing in our children's safety, health and well-being is one of the most important things we can do for Ohio's future. These Safe Routes to School grants empower local communities and give families peace of mind that their students can safely walk or bike to school every single day."