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Residents urge crosswalk at Patriot Park; city schedules traffic study
Summary
Residents of Legacy Farms and other neighborhoods pressed the Saratoga Springs City Council to install a marked crossing on State Route 400 to reach Patriot Park; city staff said an engineering warrant study is scheduled for June and will determine whether a crosswalk is warranted under adopted standards.
Dozens of residents asked the Saratoga Springs City Council on May 20 for a marked crossing on State Route 400 near Patriot Park, saying children and families cross a multi-lane stretch daily without a safe crossing.
At the public-input portion of the meeting, Sean Robinson of Legacy Farms said roughly 740 homes in his community use the park and that “numerous children and families cross 400 each day between Schoolhouse Road and Patriot Park without a crosswalk,” describing multiple close calls including one involving his son. Other residents, including Lawrence Fontaine and Deb Sorensen, echoed that the lack of a crosswalk creates safety risks for children and older residents who park on neighborhood streets to access the park.
City staff member Jeremy responded to the council and the public, saying crosswalk installations follow adopted engineering standards and written “warrants” that determine whether a crossing is appropriate for a given roadway and pedestrian volumes. He told the council the city has new field equipment to measure pedestrian and vehicle counts and has scheduled a study of the Patriot Park crossing area for June; results will be reported back to the council and the public.
Council members pressed staff about the timing of the study — Councilman Macomber pointed out that a June count could miss school-time crossings because school will be out — and asked staff to consult the nearby school principal for institutional knowledge about where students cross. Council members also asked staff to coordinate crosswalk or crossing-guard coverage during large city events (for example, splash events, fireworks and tournaments) and to ensure event permits address overflow parking.
Jeremy emphasized that simply painting a crosswalk on a higher-speed, multi-lane road can increase danger unless the crossing type matches the warrant (for example, a controlled crossing with a crossing guard, a flashing beacon, or a HAWK signal), and said the city would follow state and industry standards in its evaluation. The council asked staff to include outreach and clearer public messaging so residents understand the study process and timelines.
The council did not take formal action; staff committed to the field count and follow-up report. Residents who testified said they had gathered a neighborhood petition nearing 500 signatures and asked the council to prioritize safety planning for that location.
