Parents concerned about intersection near northeast Austin school
AUSTIN (KXAN) -- Aisha Milburn lives just a short distance from where her two children go to elementary school. It's a five minute walk to Bluebonnet Trail Elementary, but you will never see her two kids walking to school.
That's because Milburn believes the intersection that separates her neighborhood from the school is extremely unsafe.
"It's extremely worrisome. I can't even consider it," Milburn said.
What's wrong with the intersection?
Less than half a mile from Bluebonnet Trail Elementary is the intersection of Farmhaven Road and Harris Branch Parkway, a four-way stop that sees heavy amounts of traffic.
Milburn said drivers will speed in the school zone, run stop signs, and fail to see pedestrians in the crosswalk. Even during an interview with KXAN, there were three close calls where drivers had to slam on the brakes to avoid a collision.
"There have been many times where people just blow through and realize somebody is coming on Farmhaven and slam to a stop," Milburn explained.
The city's Safe Routes to School program audited the intersection back in 2017. The report from that audit said there was "limited visibility" and "difficulty in crossing" at the intersection. The writers of the report recommended a high visibility crosswalk and a pedestrian hybrid beacon.
A spokesperson for the city's Public Works Department said there were plans to add a two-way bikeway on the southside of Farmhaven, and then will "install refreshed stop legend markings to enhance visibility of the existing stop controls." It expects that to happen in the next year.
The spokesperson said there is no need for a pedestrian hybrid beacon since the intersection is already a four-way stop.
"I would really hate for nothing to be done for a long time and somebody be killed," Milburn said.
What about a crossing guard?
Shannon Clark lives two blocks from the school. She also is worried about the intersection and walks her child to school. She said there have been a lot of close calls while in the crosswalk.
"We were just crossing and no one was seeing us. It seemed like cars were coming at us regularly in the crosswalk," Clark explained.
Clark bought her own stop sign that lights up, and carries it with her over her head whenever she and her child are crossing in the morning. She said she always tries to make eye contact with the drivers before stepping out into the street.
"I feel like visibility for pedestrians is very low," Clark said.
The school used to provide a crossing guard but currently it does not have one. A spokesperson for the school district said, "our goal is to ensure that every Manor ISD Elementary School is equipped with crossing guards for the 2023-24 school year."
The school district is encouraging anyone to apply for the position at its website.