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Crossing guard urges board to address traffic, safety at Cherry Whitlock and Mount Olive intersection
Summary
Longtime crossing guard Don Emanuel told the Siloam Springs board that rising traffic and dangerous driving behavior at a school intersection have created near misses and a serious injury; he asked the board to consider crossing-guard recommendations before the fall term.
Don Emanuel, a crossing guard who said he has worked the corner at Cherry Whitlock and Mount Olive near the intermediate school for about 10 years, urged the Siloam Springs School District Board of Education to act on safety recommendations before the next school year.
Emanuel told the board he has tracked a noticeable increase in student crossings at his post and rising traffic volumes. He said that six years ago his morning crossings averaged about 65 students between roughly 6:45 a.m. and 8:15 a.m., and that the number “now averages between … 10 and … 25 each day” (transcript language was garbled); he provided a handout to the board with supporting photos and a copy of Arkansas traffic laws. Emanuel also said an electric company told him the intersection handles “anywhere between 30 and 40,000 cars” in a 12‑hour period.
Emanuel described recent hazardous incidents: he said a semi‑truck caught its trailer tires in a ditch this afternoon and caused several minutes of delay, and he recounted that his colleague Terry Long, a school employee, was struck in December and “will never walk again without the use of a walker,” according to the orthopedic surgeon referenced by Emanuel.
Emanuel asked the board to consider suggestions from crossing guards and to review the intersection before the fall term. Superintendent Shane told the board he has worked on the issue and offered to provide a prepared update to the board in June.
Why it matters: The crossing is a regular student drop‑off and pick‑up location adjacent to an intermediate school. Rising traffic, near‑misses and at least one severe injury raise community concerns about student and staff safety.
What the board said: Board members acknowledged the difficulty of the problem, said city officials and the district will need to coordinate on solutions, and asked administration to provide an organized presentation on the issue at the June meeting.
Documents: Emanuel provided a packet that included photos and citations to Arkansas traffic law; the board accepted the packet for review.
