Brainstorming ideas to help kids walking to elementary school from Hill District (walking past RCES parking lot)

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I ran into Kristen Johnston on a walk this Thursday, and she told me that Mr. Marcus has asked for ideas on helping out the children who walk to Rachel Carson Elementary School from our hill district. Evidently, when the kids come down the hill, they need to cross the entrance to the parking lot. Although there are "Safety Patrol" monitors (5th graders) stationed at the parking lot entrance to help kids cross the parking lot entrance, they are not authorized (or not able) to stop car traffic.

Kristen told me that kids often have to wait as long as five minutes before they can cross the parking lot entrance due to a steady stream of car traffic. The kids, understandably, get pretty frustrated.

Any thoughts on how to handle this? Please be creative in your suggestions, and help us get the word out to parents and drivers.

-- Michael Berney (mlberney@aol.com), February 12, 2000

Answers

Response to Brainstorming ideas to help kids walking to elementary school from Hill District

Any chance of creating a pathway that routes pedestrians around the parking lot rather than crossing the entrance? It might cost a few dollars for concrete/paving and signs, but eliminate the danger to the walkers.

Many years ago I functioned as a school safety patrol (those white Sam Browne belts we got to wear were "babe magnets"!) We had 10-foot long poles with red "stop" flags at the end, and were very effective at stopping traffic while never leaving the curb. Of course, that may simply have been a "kinder, gentler" time and place ...

-- David Fetzer (dfetzer@his.com), February 12, 2000.


I like David's idea of the long pole. Maybe that - combined with a little courtesy from those who drive in and out of the parking lot - would do the trick. In fact, maybe the school could send home a note with the kids explaining the problem and ask parents be sensitive to the needs of the kids as they enter and leave the lot.

-- Patrick Malone (psmalone@us.med.navy.mil), February 12, 2000.

Regarding problems children are reported to be having walking past the Rachel Carson parking lot entrance, are they snow related? We do fairly well at shoveling snow on frontage sidewalks but not as well at street corners.

-- Nish Karakashian (nkmamd@erols.com), February 13, 2000.

i think we could make the traffic better by making pathways for the kids to walk on instead of having to wait to cross the street like what David said.

-- sara berney (dancergrl2013@aol.com), February 15, 2000.

We have worked with Mrs. Kirsten Johnston, parent volunteer coordinator, to find volunteers assisting with the crosswalk on Monday through Thursday. We have also made a request to the school's division of traffic to observe the lot and offer solutions to the areas of concern.

Patrols are taught by the police department to never stop traffic and to not allow students to cross as long as there is a traffic flow.

-- Kenneth Marcus (kenneth_marcus@fc.mcps.k12.md.us), March 02, 2000.



I have a question???? I know this has nothing to do with the topic, but I have know idea how to work this computer. How do you feel about a 5 year old walking down a trail that took my husband 9 1/2 mints. to jog. On top of that it is a woody area and alot of trees where you could not see anyone hiding.

The school board in Manhattan Kansas said that if our children live less than 2.25 miles that they will not pick them up on the bus.

Maybe I'm just scared and stupied, but it will take my 5 year old to walk to school almost 20 mints. now that is a little much. Let alone by him self.

HELP@!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!WHAT CAN I DO??????????????????????????

-- Stacie Phinney (blueeyes66502@yahoo.com), July 23, 2001.


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