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Milford resident urges council to fix sidewalks, crosswalks near two elementary schools
Summary
A Milford resident told council the walkways near Lulu Ross and Miss Pilling elementary schools lack sidewalks and crosswalks, creating what she described as daily near-miss incidents; she invited council and staff to observe the morning drop-off.
A Milford resident told the City Council Tuesday she and her children face daily traffic hazards near Lulu Ross and Miss Pilling elementary schools and urged the council to inspect the routes and act.
"I'm here for the safety concerns down by the Lulu Ross and Ms. Billen elementary schools," said Bridal B. Chaver, giving an address of 1008 Lemuel Street. "We lack sidewalks. We lack crosswalks. And every day somebody's going to get hit by a car. I can't count how many times this year my kids and I have been hit by almost hit by a car. I've had 2 cars sideswiped in front of my yard."
Chaver described vehicle movements during school drop-off as chaotic: drivers cutting lanes, exiting from Lemuel Street toward Lovers Lane, and children forced to cross parking areas. She told council she had contacted City Manager Mark Whitfield and said she had left "about 8 messages down at the mayor's office and never got a return call," and she said she had involved local news to press the matter. Chaver invited council members and staff to observe the morning drop-off between 7:00 and 7:45 a.m.
A council member said she had driven the streets after receiving Chaver's call and agreed that "it is something that does need to be looked at" and encouraged other council members to visit the area.
Why it matters
Sidewalks, marked crossings and traffic oversight around elementary schools are standard public-safety measures. Chaver told council the problem has been ongoing since 2022 and said shifts in school attendance zones will increase foot traffic at the affected crossings next year, when walkers will be routed to Miss Pilling.
What council did
No formal action was recorded in the meeting on the matter. Council members said they would inspect the area and staff were invited to follow up; a councilor reported driving the route outside school hours and said the situation warrants staff attention.
Council members and staff will need to determine whether fixes require traffic engineering changes, capital funding for sidewalks or crosswalks, or short-term police traffic-direction during peak drop-off hours. The resident provided contact information and asked to meet on site with the mayor, the city manager and the police chief.
