OB Elementary Crosswalk Construction Begins – New Streetlight Added to Mid-Block Santa Monica Ave. Crossing
Slowly but surely, the crosswalk outside of Ocean Beach Elementary School on Santa Monica Avenue is coming together.
City workers put up a street light while students were on winter break, a necessity to follow city code. The next step is to put in the actual crosswalk. A discussion about the extent of this will be held at the OB Planning Board meeting on Feb. 5.
In the meantime, Joseph “Moondoggie” Pina and Wayne Simard still have their crew of volunteer crossing guards manning their posts every morning and afternoon.
“It’s coming,” said Pina. “Slowly, but it’s coming.”
They said the volunteers will still be out even after the crosswalk is (finally) built.
[Editor: see these other posts: here and here.]
Volunteer crossing guard Wayne Simard shows his love for the recently added streetlight outside OB Elementary School — the first step to a new crosswalk on Santa Monica Avenue.
“We still want to cover all four corners (on Santa Monica, Sunset Cliffs, Newport and Ebers)” Simard said, adding that the group is always looking for volunteers to help out.
Anyone who has been by any of those corners in the morning can see drivers constantly speeding and failing to look when turning either onto or off of Sunset Cliffs.
Discussion at the Planning Board meeting will reportedly center around just how big the crosswalk will be. According to previous conversations with Councilmember Kevin Faulconer’s office, there will definitely be a cut in the curb as well as some sort of elevated crosswalk. Whether or not it will include a sign and other lights is still up in the air.
“At first I wanted all the bells and whistles,” Pina said. “Now I just want a crosswalk in there.”
{ 3 comments… read them below or add one }
Now, we also really need a cross walk, or a stop sign (better) by the playground on Ebers and Saratoga. And some speed bumps because people drive way too fast by that park.
I noticed yesterday, after leaving the post office, that the crosswalk signs were in the street in front of the library. I also noticed that people making right hand turns off of Santa Monica on to Sunset Cliffs going south had to make extremely wide right turns to avoid the signs. Have we substituted one problem for another?
Judi, we have been experimenting with sign placement to attain maximum effect to make drivers aware of the kids crossing, we had a child hit (bumped) at that intersection a few weeks ago. Sorry if the signs make people take wider turns, most people don’t stop behind the white line when turning the corners on Sunset Cliffs Blvd, rather they stop after they are through the crosswalk. Safety Awareness is our main concern, especially with the kids. The signs wouldn’t be needed if we had more volunteers on those corners.
Catherine, I agree, a stop sign on the corner of Ebers and Saratoga has been needed for years. I protect the kids and that park as much as I can, even getting the bushes on the Saratoga side chopped so the homeless couldn’t camp there and talk to the kids. Thanks for bringing it up again, let’s make it a priority! I will do all I can to help with that. There is a planning board meeting at the OB Rec Center on Feb.5th, please come and voice concerns, we need community guidance and opinion. Thanks,
Wayne