The crosswalk in front of Hildreth Elementary School has been redone, just in time for the start of the new school year. After a Massachusetts Department of Labor Standards inspection earlier this year, Police Chief James Babu and Harvard schools administration agreed that this particular crosswalk lacked visibility, making it unsafe for children to cross.
As reported by Chief Babu at the July 20 meeting of the Select Board, cars were often parked too close to the side of the road, causing either side of the crosswalk to be poorly visible to oncoming drivers. If small children were approaching the crosswalk it would be nearly impossible for a driver to see them.
Key recommendations that came out of the inspection report were repainting the crosswalk lines, eliminating parking near the crosswalk, and reinstating a crossing guard.
Chief Babu and DPW Director Tim Kilhart collaborated to complete all the recommendations of the Department of Labor Standards from the Standards Workplace Safety and Health Program, which enforces health and safety regulations in public sector workplaces, including public school campuses.
The painting of the crosswalk was just routine maintenance, Kilhart said. However in addition to the repainting, boulders were placed on the northbound side of the road to discourage parking near the crosswalk, and a 20-foot no-parking zone was added to the opposite side. Two new manually activated pedestrian crossing signs with flashing lights were added, too.
The school also reinstated the position of a crossing guard, which the administration eliminated a year ago, to help students cross the road during school arrival and dismissal hours.
“These [safety] measures stand as a testament to our collective dedication to the well-being of our community’s youngest members,” the Harvard Police Department wrote on its Facebook page.
The Barton family heads to Hildreth Elementary after crossing at the newly expanded crosswalk on Mass. Ave. that features a 20-foot no parking zone to improve visibility. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
