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Parents urge action on Hamlin Road crosswalk as city touts $440,000 Safe Streets grant
Summary
A Rochester Hills resident told council the midblock crosswalk near Hamlin Elementary is dangerous; council members pledged traffic studies and the mayor announced a $440,000 federal Safe Streets grant to support a comprehensive pedestrian-safety plan.
Christopher Polling, a resident who said his children attend Hamlin Elementary, urged the Rochester Hills City Council on Sept. 23 to take long-term action to make the Hamlin Road midblock crosswalk safer.
"Crossing Hamlin Road is by far the most dangerous part of our day," Polling told the council, describing repeated incidents in which drivers failed to slow for the school zone or the crossing guard and at least one recent speeding incident reported to the Sheriff’s Office.
Council members responded that the city would collect traffic data, coordinate with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office and consider engineering and enforcement options. Councilman Carlock said staff will work with county partners and the city’s engineers and encouraged Polling to continue providing information to staff.
Mayor Barnett noted the city’s history of funding targeted school safety measures and announced that Rochester Hills received a 2024 Safe Streets grant for $440,000 to develop a comprehensive Safety Action Plan, address non-motorized network gaps and start a neighborhood traffic-calming program. "These dollars will enable us to develop a comprehensive Safety Action Plan," he said.
Why it matters: Polling and council members said school-zone safety is a priority given pedestrian and child exposure; the federal grant creates a funding mechanism to study and implement engineering and enforcement solutions beyond immediate short-term fixes.
Next steps: City staff said they will begin collecting traffic data on Hamlin Road, coordinate with the Oakland County Sheriff’s Office for enforcement, and pursue engineering options informed by the forthcoming Safety Action Plan funded by the grant.
Attribution note: Quotes and descriptions are attributed to speakers who identified themselves in the meeting record.
