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Friday, October 28, 2016

Convenience Store Opening Raises Safety Concerns; School Will Not Allow Students To Cross Route 50 By Foot

BERLIN — Each day the new Royal Farms store and Arby’s restaurant on the north side of Route 50 across from Stephen Decatur High School inch closer to completion, the potential for students attempting to cross the busy dual highway grows nearer, but there have been discussions about a possible pedestrian crossing at the intersection.

It’s no secret once the Royal Farms store is completed on the north side of Route 50 across from Decatur it will likely become an oasis of cold drinks, snacks and other temptations for students at the high school and perhaps the adjacent middle school as well. The same can be said, although on a reduced level, for the new Arby’s nearing completion on a site immediately north of the store and also across from the high school.

In between, however, is a dangerous dual highway utilized by thousands of vehicles every day and even more during certain times of the year with heavy traffic heading to the resort area. State Highway Administration (SHA) officials are keenly aware of the potentially dangerous situation and have been meeting with school officials on possible solutions, but thus far there are no immediate plans for pedestrian crosswalks, increased signage or signals.

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10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Arby's has been on that corner forever. Adding a Royal Farms won't change much. Paint a crosswalk and teach kids how to use it.

Anonymous said...

Hello,there has always been a convenience store across the street....

Anonymous said...

This is only an issue because of today's mollycoddled youth and the associated self of entitlement that surrounds them.
Change the flow of traffic on a major thoroughfare because your idiot kid is too stupid to cross the road appropriately and responsibly.

Steve said...

Royal Farms and Arby's should sue along with the Exxon convenience store. There's no excuse for the BOE or the County to rob these stores of their sole purpose for remodeling and building there in the first place! The sole reason for the expansion on that corner is increased customer base.

"School Officials had better tread lightly here. Aren't they elected by local employees of these establishments and their friends and families???

Anonymous said...

If a student tries to cross the highway and doesn't make it then it will be a teachable moment about traffic safety and Darwinism. If they do make it across the highway it will be a teachable moment about freedom of choice and the overreach of government. Seems like a win win to me.

Anonymous said...

Build a pedestrian foot bridge over 50. They have them everywhere in the civilized areas of the US.

Anonymous said...

HEY... Millennial's....
Car + Highway + Fast Speed + You Slowly Walking Across Highway + Cars Not Looking For You = DEATH.
Very simple math.
Learn it.
Or die.

Anonymous said...

School will be sued if little Johnny gets splattered on the road.The parents will accuse the school of not protecting thier child..so that's an issue. And as dangerous as that stretch of hwy is combined with senoirs,visitors and college kids...your asking for a fatality. Should have built Royal farms at the old mcds site..

Anonymous said...

I would think that if the student leaves the school property after school ends(not field trips or sports etc) then that would relinquish the school for being responsible. While I think it is lovely that the schools wants to protect the child, at what point, does the child become the responsibility of the parent?

Anonymous said...

Maybe they should put a stoplight at that intersection to make it safe for the kids.

Oh, wait...