ELKRIDGE, Md. — It’s a common sight a school bus traveling along Montgomery Road in Elkridge.
But from now on, it won’t be stopping for any students within a mile of the elementary and middle schools and that’s why the county is building a sidewalk where there was not one before.
“Younger kids, probably third or fourth grade, actually walk up and I have to close my eyes,” said Colleen Boisvert who lives along the road, “because it’s a really dangerous street so you just don’t want anyone to get hurt.”
When the county learned the school system would expand its walk zones to cut down on bussing costs this year, that left more than 3,000 students afoot and the county accelerated dozens of sidewalk, signage, and crosswalk repainting projects, as well as hiring more crossing guards to help insure the their safety.
“Of the 70 total crossing guard positions, we’ve been working to hire 22,” said Howard County Executive Calvin Ball.
“Nine have been hired. Eleven are in the process, and where there are backfills needed, the police department will have officers there to insure that all of the crossing guard positions are filled,” added Ball.
The summer break for students was anything but that for public works and transportation crews that even worked weekends to fast track a decade’s worth of projects.
All told, the county is taking on about 85 infrastructure projects and this one alone will cost about a million dollars.
An investment in students safety when there will be far more of them walking to and from school.
“I don’t know about a million,” said Boisvert, “but as long as the kids are safe. That’s what matters.”
