Adam Prudhomme
Editor
Several frighteningly close calls in the first week of school have left parents urging drivers to use caution when approaching the crosswalk outside of Southview Public School.
Linda Weese, who works as a crossing guard on County Rd 8 just outside the school, has seen the problem firsthand.
“Its pretty dangerous up there,” said Weese. “People just don’t get the gist that that is a crosswalk there and there is a speed limit. The first week of school I was almost hit three times.”
Nicole Bos lives across the street from the school and walks every day with her young son. She too has witnessed drivers rolling through when kids were crossing the street.
“It’s been a very scary situation for awhile now,” said Bos.
Her situation is a difficult one because she’s too close to the school to qualify for bussing but also notes an increase in the number of parents dropping their kids off at school makes for a congested parking lot. Working with other concerned parents, Bos has lobbied for solutions to the problem, first getting the crosswalk installed, then flashing lights and last year the town hired a crossing guard to patrol the walkway.
“We thought that would help but the problem is people don’t see (the crosswalk) and people run it,” said Bos. “I’ve seen it at least three of four times a week and I see it when I walk back and forth with my son and poor Linda almost gets hit so many times. Just last week it was twice, once by a bus and the other day she was crossing me and a vehicle ran right through it, she could touch the bumper of the car, it was that close to hitting her. It’s super upsetting, you’ve got kids going through there and someone’s going to get hit.”
Bos says parents are calling for the crosswalk to be moved to a more visible location, increased signage and for a lower speed limit to be implemented for the school zone.
“Speed is really a factor, that’s the big thing,” said Bos. “They were going to make it a school zone we were hoping but they didn’t really end up doing that because of COVID and then everything shut down.”
Parents have reached out to the Lennox and Addington OPP and were able to get an increased presence in the area. Bos said on Friday the police laid three traffic related charges outside the school.
“Drivers are reminded that school is back in session and students are walking in the area of the schools,” said L&A OPP traffic management officer Cst. Scott Woodburn. “Drivers are required to stop at pedestrian crossings when the lights are flashing or a crossing guard is on the road displaying the stop sign. Drivers are not permitted to pass through the pedestrian crossing until all pedestrians are off the roadway completely. Drivers not following these rules face charges under Section 140 or Section 176 of the Highway Traffic Act with a fine of $365 and three demerit points. Our primary concern is the safety of all road users. Lennox and Addington OPP will be monitoring the school and pedestrian crossing conducting enforcement of the Highway Traffic Act.”
Greater Napanee has crosswalks in the following locations with crossing guards at each one from 7:30-8 a.m. and 2:30-3 p.m.
-Centre Street and Graham Street
-Belleville Road and Graham Street
-Belleville Road and Thomas Street
-Bridge Street and West Street
-County Road 8 and James Street