New Crosswalk Signs Intended to Make Students Safer

As students and parents headed back to Glasgow school on Aug. 29, they might have noticed a new addition on Scottie Pride Drive. In partnership with the city of Glasgow and the Valley County Health Department, crosswalk signs were installed over the summer to allow safe crossing from Cloud Street and Scottie Pride Drive. When the button is pressed and the signs are activated, lights start flashing on the sign, due to solar power, signaling motorists to slow down and stop for pedestrians.

The inspiration behind getting the signs up was to ensure the safety and visibility of students going to and from school. “Crosswalk safety is key. We wanted to have higher visibility in that area to make the area more safe since so many kids walk and bike to the high school from there, and even catch the bus to the elementary school,” said Brittany Archambeault, member of the Valley County Health Department.

The crosswalk signs were purchased utilizing a state grant in the amount of $20,000, which also helped purchase the prescription drug incinerator and benches, which will be placed near the area of Scottie Pride Drive in the future. The grant was available to all communities statewide to implement solutions to community assessment findings.

All the new additions, as well as crosswalk paint on Scottie Pride Drive which was also painted this summer, are a result of the Community Health Assessment that was administrated countywide in 2016. When the assessment was completed, the Valley CARE Coalition was formed to address the needs brought up in the assessment. One need that was addressed was the ability and flexibility to have more accessibility to physical activity and safety. Subgroups of the CARE Coalition made it their mission to address that need.

Members of the subgroup responsible for addressing the safety need in the community assessment were able to attend a statewide training this past spring with the state’s Building Active Community Initiative, which allowed members to gain ideas, obtain training, and technical assistance in developing active and healthy communities. Glasgow has had a presence for the past two years at this training, and has gained much knowledge on how to make the community have more accessibility to physical activity while also staying safe. Their hope is to continue to tackle the results of the community assessment that deal with physical activity and safety to make this community healthier, safer and more active.