MANITOWOC, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) – A year after a Manitowoc student was hit by a bus while walking to school, the city is attempting to make the street crossing safer.
New crosswalk warning lights were installed at the intersection of North 9th Street and Waldo Boulevard near Wilson Junior High and Immanuel Lutheran School.
Manitowoc Police Chief Nick Reimer tells WLUK Waldo Boulevard can be a busy roadway.
“It’s four lanes and it is 25 mph there, but with the amount of traffic it is hard to cross that street, and in that area, specifically Waldo and 9th Street, we have two schools”
To make crossing the road safer for students, Manitowoc installed new crosswalk warning lights. Wilson Junior High School principal, Lee Thennes.
“We did have a student that unfortunately got hit by a bus out here last year, and so that prompted a discussion about well this is very busy intersection, so what measures are we taking to ensure that it’s a safe place to cross the street”
Thennes says Thursday was the first day that students used the new warning lights.
“It was interesting because we did have cars slow down on one side, but there were a couple that would go through. So our main concern of course is just making sure kids are double and triple checking this so they make sure the cars stop.”
The warning lights flash after a person hits the button on the crosswalk pole. The flashing lights are supposed to signal to drivers that someone is trying to cross the road.
Reimer says if drivers fail to stop when the lights are flashing, they could be cited.
“People right now on Waldo Blvd are not used to having to stop for these flashing yellow lights, so what we want drivers to know is when they are flashing, you must stop and yield to the pedestrians”
The city spent around $10,000 on the warning lights.
Reimer said the warning lights not only apply to school hours, but drivers need to stop anytime they see the flashing lights at that intersection.
