The Pleasant Valley Community School District is rapidly growing with staff turnover, building expansion and the rise of enrolled students. However, the surrounding roads and infrastructure still remain the same, with little change in consistent traffic accidents in key areas.
One particularly unsafe area is the intersection between the entrance to the school, Belmont Road and a neighborhood. Recently, near this intersection, there have been a multitude of crashes reported as a result of heavy and confusing traffic and driving behaviors.
Sophomore Abby Pence understands the dangers of the intersection as she witnessed an accident near the school. “I think there needs to be some sort of thing for pedestrians,” stated Pence. “There should be a pedestrian light, because right now, it’s dangerous for people, and they almost get hit. That intersection also causes car crashes, because people have to stop so abruptly.”
Students are aware of the frequency of these accidents. “I think it’s kind of ridiculous how many there are. There’s been one like every day this week, and I don’t understand how people are just such bad drivers,” said senior Elizabeth Otts.
The roads to the school are also narrow, and these accidents often happen around the start of the school day, so when crashes occur, they create a dangerous situation for all drivers. “I heard that eventually a fire truck came, and then there was another car that just had its hazards on,” shared Otts. “[…]So all of the traffic was like trying to get through this narrow little spot at like 7:55 in the morning.”
Teacher Joe Youngbauer recognizes the danger these intersections pose to students. “Our school and the surrounding roadways/intersections were not built to accommodate the roughly 2,000 people that come and go each day,” he said. “Without stoplights, the busiest times of day, before and after school, make those intersections very dangerous to navigate.”
Youngbauer adds that it is not only the existing infrastructure, but also people’s behavior. “I’m guilty of this too, but people always have somewhere to be, and they want to be there five minutes ago,” Youngbauer stated.
Alternative solutions to promote safety near the school include adding a police presence and installing stop signs and pedestrian lights to allow people to cross the road. These solutions will not only promote safety but will also control the flow of traffic.
As enrollment continues to increase and the district grows, Pleasant Valley must adjust its infrastructure to ensure the safety of those entering and exiting the school.
