Denton resident asks mobility committee to prioritize sidewalks after crash near school crossing

Lauren Penn, a Georgetown Drive resident, told the Mobility Committee she has lived in Denton for about 20 years and on Georgetown Drive for 11 and asked the committee to prioritize sidewalk installations in areas that currently lack them.

Penn said her three daughters, ages 11, 9 and about 18 months, frequently walk and bike in the neighborhood and that a vehicle overturned and landed “directly in the crosswalk where children walk to go to school” at the intersection of University Drive and Malone a few days before Christmas. She said crossing guards who had once been present at the location had not been seen this year and that children as young as 5 walk to Newton Reiser Elementary and older children walk to Calhoun Middle School.

“It's not only a safety issue ... it's also a health issue because people can't get out and exercise and walk safely,” Penn said, asking that the Mobility Committee prioritize parts of town without sidewalks and provide a timeline so neighbors know when improvements might be expected.

Committee staff asked Penn to stay after the meeting or provide contact information so staff could follow up. A staff representative said staff maintains resources about safe routes to school and timelines and would get back to her. Penn also said she had previously met with staff members (including Chandra) and found those meetings encouraging and informative.

Committee members said staff will include sidewalk-priority items in future planning and that some sidewalk and bike-ped improvements are already moving forward through the city’s project queue and capital planning process. No formal action was taken at the meeting on Penn’s request.