Letter to the Editor: King Middle School Crosswalk is Dangerous

For the attention of the editor:

I am very concerned about traffic safety around the on Rose Street. I have taken part in the 7:30 a.m. chaos as parents pull up on Rose to drop off their children for orchestra and band. People definitely seem to be aware of the possible dangers and watch out for children and vehicles pulling out into traffic. 

However, on Monday afternoon, Oct. 24, I was crossing from south to north in the crosswalk at Rose and Grant to pick my daughter up from the King after school program. It was about 4:15 p.m. I waited at the corner until the car approaching on my left, east bound, came to a stop and the driver motioned me across. As I was crossing, a blonde woman in a white sedan pulled up to the stop sign in the opposite direction. As I was about to clear the hood of the stopped car she abruptly accelerated across the intersection, narrowly missing me. I cannot believe she didn't see me in the middle of the street. Unfortunately, I didn't get her license number. 

I was relating this incident to my 6th grade daughter. She told me that she and her friends have almost been run over at that same intersection several times.

I emailed the principal with some suggestions. I heard back from King Middle School's Principal Janet Levenson on Tuesday. She said she has also had several close calls crossing the street at that particular corner. She is very safety conscious so I think she will be thinking about what to do to make the crossing safer. 

My suggestions include:

1) crossing guards (they could be parent volunteers)
2) a BPD patrol car parked facing east for a couple days and citations issued (more people seem to be careless driving westward toward N. Berkeley BART)
3) a large sign, perhaps with flashing lights on top of it
4) eventually, a crosswalk with the flashing lights that can be activated by the pedestrian. 

Something really needs to be done at this intersection, especially during the busy times when children are arriving and departing, between 7:30 and 8:45 in the morning and from 2:30  to 4:30 in the afternoon.

It is no good waiting until a child is badly injured or killed at that intersection.

Sincerely,

Kathryn Levenson

Have you or your child experienced a close call with traffic at the intersection outside King Middle School? What do you think would improve the situation? Tell us in the comments.