Girl Scout Troop urges crosswalks, signs and lower school-zone speeds to improve Cottage Grove pedestrian safety

Girl Scout Troop 57482 presented a pedestrian-safety plan to the Cottage Grove Public Services Commission, asking the city to add crosswalks, flashing signs, stop signs and lower speed limits near schools to make walking routes safer for students.

The troop’s presenter, Kinsley, said the take-action project — tied to the Girl Scouts’ Silver Award — focuses on “kids who walk to and from school” and on “inform[ing] the community and drivers of unsafe walking patterns.” She and other troop members said they want shortcut trails formalized where students already walk and additional marked crossings near Cottage Grove Middle School and Oatman Middle School.

“Because of the seasons, it's a lot darker in the morning, and when kids need to cross, it's harder for cars and other vehicles to see them, which can increase the risk of crashes and injury,” Kinsley said. The troop also supplied price estimates for signs, noting, for example, that a 24-by-24-inch stop sign cost $37.75 in their research.

City staff said the troop’s local knowledge is useful for targeting problem locations. Ryan, a city staff member in Public Works/Engineering, told commissioners the city will incorporate the students’ suggestions into an ongoing pedestrian-safety effort funded in part by a federal Safe Streets and Roads for All (SS4A) grant. Ryan said the city received $352,000 in federal SS4A funding and matching state funds to reach about $440,000 for a citywide pedestrian-safety study and pilot projects.

Ryan said the SS4A-funded program would create a technical committee across departments, include study work in the summer through winter, and allow for pilot installations — such as marked crosswalks or flashing signs — if federal funding restrictions are resolved. He said some locations may be straightforward to implement while others, such as improvements on a county-owned 60th Street/60 Fifth Street (a 50 mph road mentioned by troop members), will need cooperation with Washington County.

Commissioners and staff thanked the troop and said staff would keep the girls informed as the city evaluates which measures to implement and when. Ryan said his engineering division staff would continue communication with the troop while the SS4A work proceeds.

The commission did not take a formal vote on the troop’s recommendations during the meeting; staff described the presentation as input to ongoing studies and possible pilot work.

The commission closed the discussion by encouraging the troop to stay involved and said staff would provide follow-up contact information.