The two women spearheading an alternative plan for Washington Street met with Watertown city leaders Wednesday to present their research and pitch their ideas.
"In lieu of a traffic diet as a quick fix, we would like to preserve the four lanes that we have," said Jeri Gosier, a Case Middle School teacher.
Gosier and Alison Spooner, a librarian at the school, say there's a better way to make crossing the road safer for students.
The city has been looking for ways to improve traffic safety since a young student was hit by a car back in March.
The city's initial plan would shrink the number of lanes on Washington Street from 4 down to 2, with a center turning lane.
But Gosier and Spooner say, instead of reducing the number of lanes, the city should reduce the number of crosswalks. There are 4 crosswalks in front of the schools, they say, make that one crosswalk, and add a crossing guard or police officer.
The plan also calls for better signs on the road and better safety education for students.
Gosier says better crossing and better education is especially important when students are crossing the street after school to go to the businesses across the road.
"The hardest part right now is we don't have good crossing, so that if they're going to be going there, they can at least do it safely, because they go in mass, they dart from one side to the other to catch up with their friends and that's their goal, not crossing safely," said Gosier.
As for the city's plan to reduce the number of lanes, Gosier says that may not actually increase safety, and she worries it may lead more drivers to take Sherman Street as a shortcut.
"That's a residential space, it needs to stay as low traffic as possible," she said.
Gosier let city council members know about her plan Monday night. They all agreed they were open to discussing the plan at the next council meeting on July 17.
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School Teacher, Librarian Present Student Crossing Plan - WWNY TV 7
