City to Install New Crosswalk Signal Near Baggs Elementary - KGWN –Cheyenne, WY– Scottsbluff, NE News,Weather, Sports

City to Install New Crosswalk Signal Near Baggs Elementary

Not too long ago, Cheyenne experienced a pair of hit and run accidents involving kids and school crosswalks.

One parent at Baggs Elementary is still trying to catch the offender who hit a little girl in front of that school and is working to make the crosswalk safer.

"We have a flier of the description of the truck, what we are looking for. These fliers, I am putting them up around town," said Kristina Croy, a parent of two children at Baggs.

The truck is believed to be a dark blue, early 2000's Dodge Dakota extended cab in good condition.

The victim is a friend of Croy's daughter. She felt something else had to be done to prevent this from happening again. So she started a petition.

"I went door to door. I stood in front of the school one morning to get signatures. I ended up with about 300 signatures on my petition," Croy said.

The petition was for the city to develop a plan for a safer crosswalk and Croy was determined to make it happen.

"I was very strong and very up front and forward and told everyone I wouldn't let this go easy," Croy said.

The day before Thanksgiving, they got some good news. Thanks to the efforts of some concerned parents, the crosswalk at McCann and Pershing will be getting a brand new pedestrian signal to help better alert drivers that children are crossing the road.

"Right now what we're looking at is a rectangular, rapid flash beacon which is similar to the light that's on Central Avenue and 21st Street," said Mark Escobedo, City of Cheyenne Traffic Engineer.

The light at that intersection is activated immediately after pushing a button and it's much more visible than the flashing yellow lights in school zones.

"It's a brighter light so it catches the attention of the motorist that there's a pedestrian attempting to cross," Escobedo said.

Croy and some other parents are organizing a meeting this coming Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Baggs Elementary gym and inviting any concerned parent or citizen to attend.

"We want to do that at least for this school year to get our children more familiar with the light that's going to be installed and how to cross appropriately using the crosswalk," Croy said.

The crosswalk signal won't be installed for another two to three months, but until then drivers need to pay attention.

"They need to stop for these children and not just fly through. It's very, very important that they are more aware of school zones," Croy said.