GREENVILLE (NBC 26) — The Wisconsin Department of Transportation has responded to Greenville parents who are saying enough is enough.
- WisDOT has responded after parents and a town administrator voiced concerns about a crosswalk on Highway 15
- This comes days after a pedestrian was hit while crossing the four-lane highway
(The following is a transcription of the full broadcast story, with additional details for the web)
It's a busy crossing connecting a popular ice cream shop and a park near Hyacinth Lane and highway 15.
But, it has drawn criticism from some around Greenville.
"My main concern is the speed of the cars is just too fast for what we have going on here," says mother Ashley Klatkiewicz. The mother of a six-year-old and a 10-year-old says she's not letting her kids use the crossing.
Klatkiewicz says other parents have been calling for action. But last week, we first reported it took on greater urgency after someone was hit in the crosswalk.
Local authorities confirmed the incident, but haven't said how badly the person was hurt.
Village Administrator Travis Parish and parents have written to the dot asking for safety improvements. On Tuesday, WisDOT responded, saying requests like speed humps or reducing the speed aren't likely.
Or even possible.
However, the state did recommend Greenville apply for R-R-F-Bs, which stands for rectangular rapid flashing beacons. They are high-frequency light beacons that someone can activate with a button before crossing the road.
The DOT says the light beacons would come at the expense of Greenville.
"So I think at the next board meeting we'll probably be having this conversation again on what to do out there and what our options are," says Parish, acknowledging the most recent conversation with the DOT.
But for parents like Ashley Klatkiewicz who have called for change in the past, they hope changes will finally come.
"Because this has happened, everybody's just going to be, like, the red flags are up at this intersection in particular. Hopefully, it brings more awareness."
Village Administrator Parish says the board meeting will take place on July 10th. It will be open for the public to voice their concerns about the crosswalk.
