Letter to the Editor: City must prioritize pedestrian safety

Dear Menifee 24/7,

We have an issue that is in the eyes of many and is one of the most serious issues ever to face our young city: Our population explosion and child safety. As we continue to grow at an exponential rate, the need for sidewalks, pathways, and metered intersections is greater than ever.

Let's just talk about one intersection in particular -- the four-way stop at Craig Road and Evans Road. This unassuming spot in our city is home to one of the most dangerous intersections here in Menifee. Hundreds of children from Paloma Valley High School and Menifee Valley Middle School merge here with their parents and other drivers, with sometimes disastrous results.

We have children who are impatient and unaware of how a four-way stop works, along with the parents and other drivers who have to deal with crossing children and other drivers who don't understand how a four-way stop is supposed to work. This problem is only going to get worse by the building that is continuing in the area, which will add hundreds of homes and more hundreds of children who may be on these streets.

The city, in a great decision, also plans to build one of the largest pump tracks in the area on this corner. This means a great place for our community to play and hang out. It also means there will be many more children on skateboards and bicycles filling this intersection and not always paying attention to the rules of the road.

Unfortunately, the traffic engineers in what seems to be a miscalculation do not take into account the number of pedestrians when they prioritize when and where a signal should be installed. This means that this highly traveled intersection is only a priority 4 in our city’s Capital Improvement Program. Other intersections in the city which may see more vehicular traffic but not the level of pedestrian traffic are higher on the list. Unfortunately, there have been too many incidents where a child either walking or on a bicycle has come in contact with a vehicle.

What can be done about this? The city needs to move the installation of a signal to priority 1 so it can be installed at the same time as the opening of the pump track, if not sooner. Also, the city should consider allocating funds for a police department crossing guard during the hours of drop-off and pick-up to help the children make it across the intersection.

But this is not the only intersection that is a problem in our city. The intersection of La Piedra and Menifee Road is another unfortunate area to deal with. The city has installed a traffic signal there, but it is not up and running. And as far as this citizen is aware, the only crossing guard that has ever been there is a private individual who does it for the safety and protection of the children.

Unfortunately, the school districts are either unwilling or unable to do much past their own driveways. The city and the police department must step up and fulfill the need that is sorely required in this situation.

There is a city council meeting on Wednesday at 6 p.m. One of the items on the agenda is the bid for the sidewalk and widening of Craig Road at it pertains to the pump track. It would be great if we could show up and let them know how important these and other intersections in the city are for student safety.

Sincerely,

Jeremiah Wade