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County manager briefs board on pedestrian safety at Lee's Market, urges school-board input to COG plan
Summary
Morgan County’s administrative manager told the board that public videos of students crossing at Lee’s Market prompted a pedestrian-focused traffic study and short-term safety measures; she also asked the school board to participate in a $200,000 county plan and to help shape COG spending.
Morgan County Administrative Manager Kate Becker told the Morgan County School Board that a series of public reports and videos showing middle- school students crossing at Lee’s Market prompted county action to address pedestrian safety near the highway.
Becker said the county had required a vehicle-focused traffic study for the development but is now commissioning an additional study focused on pedestrians. She described short-term measures the county will deploy — variable-message signs warning of possible pedestrians and consideration of high-visibility crosswalks and speed reductions — and said a pedestrian bridge that had been discussed previously (an estimated cost of about $1 million) is not fiscally feasible "right now." Becker told the board, "we are addressing it." She asked the board to provide input to the Morgan County Council of Governments (COG) process: the county has budgeted $200,000 for a countywide plan and Becker requested the school board’s participation in that planning.
Why it matters: School and county coordination can affect near-term safety measures for students walking to and from school and shape longer-term infrastructure and land-use decisions as development grows in Mountain Green and nearby areas.
Board members praised Becker’s coordination with city and county partners, stressed the value of COG-driven projects (citing the Elm Street Bridge as an example) and discussed ensuring the school board has an active voice in how regional funds are spent.
Next steps: county staff will proceed with the pedestrian-focused traffic study and post variable signage; the COG countywide plan will proceed with the county’s proposed $200,000 allocation and the school board was asked to participate in next steps.
