And while we’re on the topic, what about a city ordinance that
triples the traffic and pedestrian fines in school zones?
Gilroy High School student jaywalkers need to be curtailed before there’s a major mishap on 10th Street. But the idea to put a fence down the middle of the street is an ugly one. What are we thinking? The students will likely scale the fence, and an eyesore in the middle of the street is not our best option.
But this dilemma does present a golden opportunity for the city and the school district to work together. A brainstorming session involving city traffic experts, the police department and school officials should yield some outside-the-box ideas.
Anyone who has driven anywhere near Princevalle and Tenth streets in the half-hour before or after Gilroy High School hours knows that an unsafe situation exists. Students dart between cars and drivers navigate a potentially deadly maze.
If the meeting needs a jump start, here are a few suggestions to get the communication and ideas flowing:
What about using the mounted patrol or some mature Volunteers in Policing to control the traffic flow by holding pedestrians on the Tenth Street sidewalk from Orchard to Princevalle for a time, allowing auto traffic to move past GHS. Then, alternately holding auto traffic at Princevalle and at Orchard, allowing pedestrians to stream across Tenth.
GHS staff, teachers, yard supervisors, administrators could lend their authority and knowledge of the students by being there, on the high school side and the residential side, helping to enforce whatever plan emerges and helping to prevent accidents, injuries and property damage.
Volunteers in Policing, Explorers or trained retirees could do the same type of control. During Garlic Festival, volunteers help direct traffic at that very spot.
What about using cameras to identify the culprits who can then be cited by public safety personnel or disciplined by school personnel?
Certainly some random enforcing of jaywalking laws accompanied by citations wouldn’t hurt. And while we’re on the topic, what about a city ordinance that triples the traffic and pedestrian fines in school zones?
Portable speed bumps for the street along Tenth and along Princevalle in those crucial times could also go a long way toward slowing down the cars.
Mayor Al Pinheiro said he couldn’t put a price on student safety. We agree.
So, it’s time for the city and the school district to get busy and start trying different options until a solution is found. The last thing anyone wants to read on the front page of this newspaper is a story about a Gilroy High School student being maimed or killed while crossing the street after school.
