BERLIN – A signalized crosswalk will be installed on Route 50 in front of Stephen Decatur High School in an effort to increase pedestrian safety as commercial activity picks up at the busy intersection.
With the new Arby’s restaurant complete and the adjacent Royal Farms to open Dec. 29, there will be more people crossing the highway on foot. Though school system leaders said this fall they would be discouraging students from crossing the highway, in early December they formally asked the Maryland State Highway Administration (SHA) to install a crosswalk.
“Initially the school had requested SHA not install a crosswalk for fear large groups of students would cross US 50 to patronize the store,” said SHA spokesman David Buck. “More recently, the school has asked SHA to move forward with pedestrian improvements, understanding that regardless of the presence of a crosswalk, the students may still choose to cross US 50.”
In a letter to SHA officials on Dec. 6, Lou Taylor, superintendent of schools, said the school system wanted to be proactive.
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9 comments:
Well well well
I guess the Arby's owner and the Royal Farm owner will be ecstatic about this development! Tons of new customers and all of the access paid for by the tax payers.
There needs to be a crosswalk. Also you are going to have the new apartment complex being built to to east of Stephen Decatur. There will be a lot of walkers.
Dear Readers,
IMO this is a pending disaster - While I do not have the answer for this, I can foresee a student injury on the horizon. While I am all for supporting business in our local area, I fear it will result in a very unfortunate accident. Students of this age are notoriously poor in foreseeing potential issues and have equally poor situational awareness. We can only hope this does not occur (an accident) while students are crossing the highway. I am also wondering aloud how many accidents have occurred at this intersection in just the last few years - I also wonder if the state has looked at this as they consider the crosswalk....
Regards,
Paladin
The students and apartment dwellers are going to cross anyway, so providing for their safety would be a requirement. Good for all involved. And since the school is in the education business anyway, they may be able to solve Paladin's fears.
In more civilized areas, they build pedestrian bridges over major roads and highways. Zero accidents when used versus a crosswalk.
Still another situation that makes me wonder how in the world I ever survived my youth without help from the government (i.e., 2nd-hand smoke; bicycle helmets; eating peanuts, etc., etc., etc.
At my school in Baltimore (1st thru 12th) you pretty much played Frogger once you left the immediate school grounds, and I cannot remember even one accident.
So now here comes Mother Government, assuring the high schoolers that they can make it safe for them to cross the street.
Geez... How did I ever make it to adulthood?
324
Well stated
Anonymous Anonymous said...
In more civilized areas, they build pedestrian bridges over major roads and highways. Zero accidents when used versus a crosswalk.
December 23, 2016 at 3:01 PM
Instead hoodlums drop objects from the bridge on to oncoming traffic killing innocent drivers.
The Farm Store should not open until it is complete. There will be an accident sooner or later. They should recognize this and not put lives at risk. The State, City , or County should have been smarter than this.
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