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Students at Woodside Elementary School are using new and improved crosswalks in front of the school, but still to come this fall are several improvements to safety for those walking to school. One trouble spot, however, remains.
In a unanimous vote on Sept. 23, the Town Council approved a staff proposal to spend about $20,000 on three safety measures: new crosswalks at Canada Road and Glenwood Avenue, higher visibility for crosswalks at Canada and Romero roads, and warnings to drivers on Mountain Home Road of the potential for pedestrians and equestrians to be crossing the road in the area between Cedar Lane and Roberts Market.
It’s the crossing of Mountain Home Road that the council and staff consider problematic. The consensus: While proposed warning markers should be beneficial to safety along Mountain Home Road, they are not going to be enough.
The most logical place to cross when walking to or from the school is just south of (behind) Roberts Market. The location is dangerous. The town’s walking and bicycling audit, published in September 2013, described the area as having “no designated pedestrian crossings” and constrained vehicular sight distance “due to the narrow roadway and its curves.”
Councilman Dave Tanner said he crosses behind Roberts every day, despite traffic from Woodside Road accelerating as it enters Mountain Home. It’s dangerous, Mr. Tanner said, but he crosses there because it’s less dangerous than his other options.
Installing a crosswalk there would involve the use of private property, Deputy Town Manager Paul Nagengast told the council. And with a driveway on one side and a parking lot on the other, there is potential cross traffic. Also, crosswalks are not allowed to terminate in driveways, he added.
Millo Fenzi, a Resident and Circulation Committee member, told the council that he’s had encouraging conversations with Roberts Market owner George Roberts on finding a solution.
Crossing at Cedar Lane
In its vote, the council requested an expedited analysis for a Mountain Home Road crosswalk for both pedestrians and equestrians at Cedar Lane, about 800 feet south of the logical crossing spot behind Roberts. Assuming that the traffic analysis is favorable, the council wants the crosswalk painted before the end of the year.
No one argued that a crosswalk at Cedar Lane does not make sense, given good lines of sight in both directions. It would serve some of the community east of Mountain Home Road. But for children from the Whiskey Hill neighborhood, it might not help. Would they arrive at Mountain Home, walk 800 feet out of their way to Cedar Lane, cross in the new crosswalk, and then walk 800 feet back to Roberts when they could just run across the road at Roberts?
“We have kind of an impossible situation with the flow of (pedestrian) traffic to and from Whiskey Hill Road,” Mayor Dave Burow said.
“Let’s do something, anything,” Mr. Fenzi said. He suggested a creative use of raised plastic dots or a 5 mph speed limit.
“Frankly, I’d rather paint what we can paint,” said Councilman Peter Mason.
A traffic analysis is necessary, Councilman Ron Romines said. An analysis is essential because it protects the town from liability, Town Manager Kevin Bryant added at one point.
“We can’t just get some paint and say ‘Paint the streets, Paul,'” Mr. Burow said.
“Well, I’m willing to do it,” Councilman Tom Shanahan said.
Crossing Canada Road
The council approved new warnings for drivers on Canada Road.
At Canada and Romero roads, there will be road signs and pavement markings. Because the intersection in uncontrolled — it has no stop sign or traffic signal — approaching drivers will pass over a painted row of white triangles, known as shark’s teeth, meant to warn that a crosswalk is ahead.
The intersection at Glenwood Avenue already has stop signs at all corners. But Councilman Romines, a longtime resident of the area, said drivers on Canada Road regularly blow through them. Crosswalks will help, but the intersection needs more, he said, adding that whatever else is added should wait until the next round of improvements. An additional 35 mph speed limit sign on Canada Road is likely.
Plans for Canada Road don’t include pedestrian-activated lighted warnings, but Mr. Romines suggested that they be seriously considered. Children pay more attention when they have the option of pushing a button to slow or stop traffic, he said.
Mr. Mason proposed plastic dots as a means to slow drivers, but Mr. Nagengast noted that they create problems for motorcyclists and bicyclists. Try rumble strips, said Mr. Fenzi.
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