Mayor Announces Addition of Crossing Guard at Templeton Elementary

Mayor Announces Addition of Crossing Guard at Templeton Elementary

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

August 7, 2007

  For More Information: Maria K. Heslin, Communications Director, City of Bloomington, 349-3569     Mayor Announces Addition of Crossing Guard at Templeton Elementary   Bloomington, IN -- Mayor Mark Kruzan announced today that in an ongoing effort to enhance public safety, the City of Bloomington will hire a crossing guard for the intersection at Brenda Lane and Fess Avenue, near Templeton Elementary School. Originally part of the 2008 budget proposal, the City has decided to add its 17th crossing guard, now, in time for school this fall.   "This addition will further the City's mission of providing safe and accessible walking routes to and from schools in the community," Kruzan said. "Thanks to the Safe Routes To School Task Force and citizens in the community, we are better able to identify and place additional safety improvements such as these."   The need for a crossing guard near Templeton Elementary was brought to the attention of the City through the efforts of the Safe Routes To School Task Force, which is made up of government and school officials, the health community, interested citizens, and parents to improve the safety of the community's school children.    "The City has worked for months with parents and staff at Templeton to identify and alleviate the dangers of riding a bike or walking to school," Kruzan said. "An additional crossing guard was seen as a short-term priority for children who walk or ride from the Bryan Park area."   Templeton's location presents unique challenges to children walking and biking to school because the school is surrounded by a series of complex traffic patterns. Brenda Street has been particularly problematic because of the challenging mix of school children, bus traffic and a parent drop-off zone. The addition of a crossing guard at this location was targeted as a necessary solution so that children coming from the Bryan Park area could safely cross this intersection.   Another enhancement that will be in place for the beginning of the school year is a new crosswalk warning system at High Street and Greenbriar Lane. The crosswalk will have light-emitting diode (LED) strobe lights imbedded in the asphalt that will be activated by the crossing guard when children are crossing.    The City will continue to support safe routes to school initiatives, especially for children who walk or bike, recognizing that such efforts help reduce vehicular traffic, promote physical activity and a healthy lifestyle, strengthen neighborhood cohesion and create sustainable lifelong habits.     # # #