MOUNT VERNON — City officials took steps to make Martinsburg Road safer after parents voiced fears about children crossing the road headed to and from school.
City Engineer Brian Ball said that while researching the issue, his staff discovered that city officials never correctly set up the existing school zone around Pine Street.
“It has not been authorized by council and therefore is not enforceable,” he said.
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On Monday, council members passed legislation authorizing the existing signage. Existing signage covers the roadway from just north of Pine Street to Concord Blvd.
Because council passed the legislation as an emergency, the school zone became legal on Tuesday.
“We will work through administratively extending it to the edge of the school property on Martinsburg Road between Delano and Parrott Street,” Ball said.
The speed limit ultimately will be 20 mph from north of Pine Street, almost to Parrott Street.
“We would like to purchase flashing lights that would be used during [school] departure and arrival times. It would be all day during the exam periods,” Ball said.
Law Director Rob Broeren said a school zone is 20 mph — whether or not there are flashing lights — when students are present, either coming to school, going to school or if they’re at outside recess.
“It’s good to have lights to help remind people, but once we put the signs up, the school zone is enforceable if there are students there,” he said.
Ball said it takes a long time to get flashing school zone lights.
“We will be looking at grant options and other funds to get the signs,” he said.
The city will control the flashing lights. School officials will tell the city when school is not in session.
It will take longer if council wants to extend the school zone to Parrott Street. Ball said the city has to get an exemption from the Ohio Department of Transportation to extend the zone past school property.
However, he said there will be signs and paint notifying people of the upcoming zone.
The city will install a 35 mph sign south of Parrott Street, allowing drivers time to slow down for the 20 mph school zone.
