Crosswalk concerns: Community seeks change in traffic pattern

The spot where Route 68 and Route 69 intersect in Prospect has become a hot topic in town.

Parents and officials have grown concerned about the safety of Long River Middle School students that use the newly constructed sidewalk to reach Dunkin' Donuts or other local shops after school.

“When I picked him up later on, he said, 'hey mom, I almost died today,'” said Kathy Dravis, who says her son was almost hit in the crosswalk after school last spring.

She, along with other parents, began reaching out to local officials, concerned about the crosswalk.

The concern stems from a traffic pattern that allows traffic parallel to students crossing to continue with a green light, while crossing traffic remains stopped.

But turning cars, though, expected to look at “yield to pedestrian signs,” have a green light.

“That was absolutely terrifying, I had never in my wildest dreams [imagined] that crossing in a crosswalk, that would happen,” Dravis said.

Prospect Mayor Robert Chatfield took matters into his own hands, offering services as a crossing guard immediately when school lets out. Holding traffic turns so students can cross relatively concern-free.

“If I wasn’t out there, being a crossing guard, I'm sure some student would have been hit,” Chatfield said.

He believes the traffic pattern is set this way to allow traffic to keep moving, which he disagrees with on the basis on student safety.

The State Department of Transportation said the traffic pattern is common, called concurrent phasing, and is used to keep the area from getting too congested. But it is the driver’s responsibility to yield to pedestrians.

“With the concurrent phasing cars can go, pedestrians can go, and obviously it is important for people behind the wheel to pay attention,” DOT spokesperson Josh Morgan said.

Morgan added they hear the community concerns and are working with local officials to make sure there is a safe and effective solution.

“We understand the community concerns, and our folks are working with local officials in Prospect, one to keep everyone safe and two, keeps everyone moving through that area safely,” Morgan said.

In a letter to DOT last week, Mayor Chatfield and Regional School District 16’s superintendent Michael Yamin sent a letter to DOT requesting a full four-way stop for the intersection.

“A special exclusive pedestrian priority crossing which means when we hit the button, all four traffic lights will shut down which will make it safe for our kids,” Yamin said.

While they continue to work with DOT, the district has hired a crossing guard to relieve the mayor of his current role. That guard is currently being trained and certified. But even that doesn’t totally put officials at ease.

“Having a crossing guard doesn’t resolve the problem, we are still going to have cars flying so now it’s just not the kids now it’s a crossing guard at risk,” Yamin said.

Yamin added they have stepped up their traffic education in school for students, too. Ensuring lessons like checking both ways before crossing and being on alert is received by all students in the district.

All interviews, from DOT, to parents, to local officials, shared the same message for travelers passing through the intersection: "slow down and pay attention."