Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Pedestrian Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Parents, students urge timer at Butler crosswalk outside Brighton High after repeated near misses
Summary
Multiple parents, Brighton High teachers and students urged Cottonwood Heights leaders to add a timed pedestrian phase at the Butler Hills Drive crosswalk to group student crossings and reduce morning congestion and near misses; city staff and public‑works coordination were requested.
Parents, teachers and students pressed the Cottonwood Heights City Council on April 21 to make changes at the Butler Hills Drive crosswalk near Brighton High School, saying repeated 'near misses' make the crossing unsafe during morning drop‑off.
Sherry Sedalski, chair of the Brighton High School SEC, said teachers and parents have witnessed many near collisions and asked the city to prioritize student safety at the crosswalk. "It's not just about traffic congestion. It's about the safety of these students," she said.
Speakers including parent Pat Passy and Brighton teachers said traffic can back up to Fort Union and that 100–200 students may cross during a 15–20 minute morning window. Multiple speakers suggested installing a timed pedestrian interval that would allow students to cross in groups rather than one‑by‑one. Melinda Rosevear requested a meeting with Public Works Director Matt Shipp and the police chief to pursue a timed signal solution; Aaron Hadfield, a Brighton teacher, said the school’s community council supports a timer.
A Brighton High student, Bea Rasmussen, described daily use of the crossing and said a timer would reduce risky single crossings by encouraging groups. Speakers noted crossing guards were reportedly not permitted and asked staff to evaluate engineering, signal timing or other mitigations.
Council members acknowledged the comments; staff suggested follow‑up meetings with school and public‑works officials to evaluate feasible changes and next steps.
