Long-awaited street improvements along Briggs and Baxter roads near Dorothy McElhinney Middle and Lisa J. Mails Elementary schools could get underway as early as this summer.

Improvements such as sidewalks, a safe driving path to and from the school, and infrastructure for permanent water and sewer lines have been stalled since the housing market collapse, as developers were responsible for the improvements, district officials said Thursday.

"From 2005 we have been planning this," said Bill Olien, assistant superintendent of facilities for the Murrieta Valley Unified School District.

Since development was not moving forward the builders were not obligated to build the infrastructure, according to Olien.

In addition, KB Homes, which owns the largest parcel of land across from the school, belongs to the Menifee Union School District. Another tract just south of the school has changed hands several times with no development in the foreseeable future, which further complicates the matter of who is ultimately responsible, he said.

In the meantime, Olien said for several years the district has been negotiating an agreement for the work with the County of Riverside Transportation Department, as the school site is in unincorporated Murrieta.

The county recently agreed to move forward with the project, and the school board voted unanimously Thursday night to enter the agreement.

The district has secured $1.6 million from the California Department of Education for the $2.5-million project. Olien said the county's contribution will be $900,000. Of that $900,000, Olien said the county is immediately able to put up $180,000. The district will front the county $720,000, which it has agreed to pay back in four installments, he said.

It was important to note the funding set aside for the project can by law only be used for infrastructure, Olien said.

The construction will start once the county puts the project out for bid, which could be as early as this spring. Once a contractor is selected, the work could commence in time for summer break, Olien said.

The project entails half-street improvements on Briggs Road along the northern frontage of the two schools, according to a staff report. Also, a half-width section of Baxter Road will be paved between the intersection with Briggs Road and then join with existing pavement just to the east.

The proposed paving and street improvements will accommodate one through lane in each direction and a left turn lane at the intersection of Briggs and Baxter roads at the school.

There will be infrastructure laid for two future lights at the school driveways, and at the intersection of the two roads.

Because of the street improvements, it is also an opportune time to install infrastructure for water, sewer and storm drain systems associated with the two schools. The finishing work on those utilities is a separate project and will be completed by the district at a later date, according to Olien.

District officials said this project is not the entire scope of work that needs to be done, but it will provide a safer route to school for pedestrians and drivers.

"For public safety, we've made great strides," Olien said.