Crossing situation at Oasis improving
Things have gotten a lot better for children and families crossing the street in front of Oasis elementary and middle schools.
There is now a crossing guard present, and there are cones where a makeshift crosswalk has been set up, with hopes of a permanent one in the future.
The Cape Coral Charter School system, with the help of the Cape Coral Police Department has taken action to make that area safer for those trying to get to school.
Meanwhile, the city’s outlook for a crosswalk there hasn’t changed, sticking by its stance that mid-block crossing isn’t the best solution.
Former mayor Eric Feichthaler, who has four children in the charter school system, said these moves are a step in the right direction.
“I thought it was a very positive move by the city and appreciate them doing that,” Feichthaler said. “I think because there was no crosswalk they didn’t feel that they had the obligation to make sure people crossed safely, which was a concern of mine.”
Feichthaler had shown concern over the way children come and go from school for much of the past three years. There were no signs except the ones that tell drivers to reduce speed as they approached.
The first positive step was taken in December when the school speed limit was reduced when school was letting in and out.
After the original story in The Breeze, the charter schools and the police department got together to place cones for a mid-block crosswalk, as well placed a crossing guard there.
Feichthaler added the city indicated it would look into the crosswalk request, but made no promise to do anything other than that.
“Ultimately, to be able to cross in front of the school where you are expected to is a necessity, which every school recognizes,” Feichthaler said. “I hope the city is coming to that conclusion.”
Connie Barron, city spokesperson, said she’s glad the charter school system has worked out some kind of solution with a city entity. Still, the city’s stance hasn’t changed that mid-block crosswalks are not a good idea.
“The schools and the police are working together. It’s a solution that will work for them during school hours,” Barron said. “However, the code says mid-block crosswalks are not recommended.”
According to the Uniform Traffic Manual, there cannot be a mid-block crossing because there is no street intersection. Such an intersection exists at the high school, as it is at an intersection, but not in front of the elementary or middle schools.
Feichthaler said there is precedent. There is a mid-block crosswalk at Southeast 11th Street and Southeast 9th Avenue that connects the old and new city halls, and there are at least four crosswalks at Christa McAuliffe Charter Elementary.
Barron said the city is looking at those areas and evaluating to see if they are necessary. She also added that if the city were to put a mid-block crosswalk there, it could open a Pandora’s Box.
“We have 25 other schools in Cape Coral that this could set precedent for. If we put one at Oasis, all the other schools could ask for one,” Barron said. “We’ll continue to look at it, but it doesn’t meet traffic laws.”