Oxford Village resident Terry Murray saw a problem and took action.
As a result, children on and near Pleasant St. will hopefully be able to play in a safer environment.
The village council last week unanimously approved the placement of traffic control signs on Pleasant St. warning drivers to go slow because children are playing in the area.
The signs will be located at the northern and southern ends of the Pleasant St. block between Dayton and First streets.
Concern for the safety of the children surrounding the street prompted Murray, who lives on nearby Dayton St. and has no small children, to contact village Police Chief Mike Neymanowski and request the signage.
“I see so many little kids playing on that street,” she said. “These little kids can pop out into the street in a heartbeat. I see kids run out there all the time.”
The narrowness of the street coupled with the vehicles parked on it only add to the potential danger, Murray said.
“There are just so many kids around that it’s just too dangerous to drive down there without having your mind on the fact that a child could come out from behind a parked car at any second. And the street’s kind of narrow (so there’s less time and distance to react),” she explained.
“You might be going down there at 30 miles per hour and when that child steps out, you wouldn’t have time to stop.”
Murray said she requested the signage to give drivers a “heads up” to proceed slowly and exercise caution.
“People need to have a little warning,” she said “Everybody wants to be careful of children while they’re driving, but if your mind is on your job or getting your grocery shopping done or maybe picking up your own child from school, you’re not going to be as aware on this little street, which people do use as a cut-through.”
“It behooves those who use this short piece of street to slow down and think about the fact that a small child could pop out there at any place,” Murray added.
Based on his contact with Murray and his own investigation into the situation, Neymanowski recommended the warning signage be installed.
“From my observations, several young children do live and play on this block,” the chief stated in a Sept. 29 memo to Manager Mark Slown. “Pleasant is used as a short cut by some drivers to avoid the traffic light at Washington and Burdick. The block does experience a higher volume of traffic for a residential area. The middle of this block is also a public school bus pick-up and drop-off point for children. I am recommending that we place a sign (SLOW / CHILDREN) at each end of this block.”
When told of the approval for the signage, Murray replied, “I’m delighted. It just shows how much this little town cares about its citizens and its children.”