Crosswalks made for pedestrian safety

Public safety, and especially pedestrian safety is a topic I think we all agree is at the heart of a healthy, prosperous and peaceful community. With thousands of students enrolled in the Rolla Public Schools system, at Missouri University of Science and Technology, numerous other community colleges, and an active downtown business district, Rolla has more than its share of pedestrian traffic throughout the day. For this reason, I would like to emphasize how important it is that motorists yield to pedestrians at crosswalks in town.

Missouri Revised Statutes (Chapter 300, Model Traffic Ordinance, Section 300.375) state that “When traffic control signals are not in place or not in operation the driver of a vehicle shall yield the right-of-way, slowing down or stopping if need be to so yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling, or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger.” Rolla’s Municipal Ordinances (Chapter 27, Section 27-89, Motor Vehicles and Traffic), state that motorists shall proceed cautiously, yielding the right of way to any pedestrian within any crosswalk. Bicycle paths, such as the 9-mile-long ACORN Trail also have pedestrian cross walks and again motorists must yield the right-of-way to pedestrians in all cross walks. Local law enforcement officers will be on the look out to arrest offenders.

Some of the most heavily traveled streets by pedestrians in Rolla, but certainly not all, include Pine Street, Kingshighway, Bishop Avenue; 6th through 18th Streets, Forum Drive, Salem Avenue, Soest Road, Pinetree Road, Lanning Lane and Holloway Street. Of course these areas are where the majority of students from the Rolla Public School system, Missouri University of Science and Technology, Metro Business College, Webster College, Rolla Technical Institute, Drury University and other colleges and schools attend classes every day. There also is heavy foot traffic in the downtown business district and along Kingshighway, and Bishop Avenue where numerous restaurants, fueling stations and businesses are located. Whenever you see a marked crosswalk either at an intersection or cross street, or are in a heavily pedestrian traveled area of the City, please use additional caution, be vigilant, and prepared to yield to pedestrians. A safe community, is the best kind of community.

In closing, I would to extend my congratulations to Scott Caron, the City’s Recreation Director, who was honored at the Rolla Area Chamber of Commerce Annual banquet on Jan. 10 as the recipient of this year’s Annual Achievement Award. As Chairman of the last year’s Tour of Missouri Local Organizing Committee, Scott worked tirelessly to ensure that the Tour of Missouri Stage 4 Race was one of the highlights of the internationally acclaimed professional cycling event.

I would also like to remind everyone that Rolla City Hall will be closed on Monday, Jan. 19 in observance of Martin Luther King Jr.’s Birthday. The City’s Sanitation Department will also be closed on Jan. 19. Monday’s trash will be picked up on Tuesday and Wednesday’s trash will be picked up on Thursday.