West District board to request three traffic studies after Provo High crosswalk incidents

Lynn Arad, assistant principal at Provo High School, told the West District meeting the school has recorded two incidents in which students were hit or brushed at a crosswalk near the marquee; one incident occurred within the past month and was reported by a parent. Arad said morning darkness and students wearing dark clothing make visibility poor and proposed push-button flashing beacons at the marquee crosswalk as a mitigation.

Residents and board members discussed alternatives (flags, speed radar signs, speed bumps) and asked whether a single traffic study could cover multiple intersections; staff explained the neighborhood program can request up to five traffic studies per year and that Verne, city traffic staff, will determine whether the study covers one intersection or multiple locations and recommend appropriate countermeasures.

The board agreed to submit three study locations: the marquee/Lakeshore crosswalk (Bulldog), the nearby crosswalk on the north side of the campus, and 1560 South, a heavily used east'west connector. Staff said study results could recommend flashing beacons, radar speed signs (estimated cost discussed by staff at about $3,200 each), or other traffic engineering solutions and that matching-grant funds could be considered if the studies show a need.

Provenance: school safety presentation and the board's traffic-study vote (topicintro SEG 1601; topfinish SEG 2231).