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It was a
beautiful sunny morning on October 9 as many Karshner Elementary students,
parents, and staff gathered at Sam Peach Park in Puyallup for Walk to School
Day.
Students
were welcomed by Puyallup School District Superintendent Tim Yeomans and
Director of Facilities Planning Brian Devereux, Puyallup Interim City Manager
Steve Kirkelie, and City Councilman Jim Kastama.
They were
celebrating pedestrian safety and the installation of new Rectangular Rapid
Flashing Beacons (RRFB) at the existing crosswalk across 15th St NW (at 8th Ave
NW), located near the northwest corner of Karshner Elementary.
“Today is a
celebration about walking to school. Everyone is here because we care about
students at Karshner Elementary,” said Devereux.
Next,
students, parents, and staff began the walk to Karshner Elementary. Puyallup
School Resource Officers, Sergeant Kelly Hanson and Patrol Officer Dan Drasher
were on-hand to ensure student safety by providing a police escort as they walked
to school and crossed the streets.
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When they
approached the crosswalk with the new beacons, Principal LaShawnda Baldwin made
sure each student learned to push the button to activate the flashing beacons
before entering the crosswalk. Vehicle traffic stopped and waited patiently as
walkers proceeded to cross.
When the
button is pushed the system provides an audible message in English and Spanish
when the beacon is activated.
There will
also be two school patrol at the crosswalk before and after school.
In 2019 the
City of Puyallup, in partnership with the Puyallup School District, developed a
city-wide Safe Routes to Schools Master Plan. As part of this process, work
began in 2018, and a walk audit was held at Karshner Elementary in late fall
2018. The walk audit identified several improvements needed to improve
pedestrian safety.
The safety
concerns addressed were limited visibility of student pedestrians and crossing
guard staff when approaching and entering a crosswalk as well as vehicular
speeds over the posted maximum speed limit in school zone areas.
The flashing
beacons were installed at Karshner by the City of Puyallup as the result of a
grant project the district applied for and received from the Washington Traffic
Safety Commission. The project also includes two curb ramp ADA upgrades and two
Speed Indicator signs (for northbound and southbound traffic) installed within
the school speed zone along 11th St NW, one block east of Karshner Elementary.
Devereux
said the community has seen the positive impact RRFBs have in supporting safe
routes to schools at other school locations within the City of Puyallup.
In 2012, the
City of Puyallup and the Puyallup School District successfully applied for Safe
Routes to Schools grant funds to install RRFBs at existing crosswalks in school
zones adjacent to three school locations (Stewart Elementary, Meeker Elementary
and Aylen Junior High).