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Frisco parents want to make school crosswalk safer
Residents in Frisco are calling on the city to make a school crosswalk on a busy street safer after they say they've seen too many close calls while kids try to cross the street.
FRISCO, Texas - Residents in Frisco are calling on the city to make a school crosswalk on a busy street safer after they say they've seen too many close calls while kids try to cross the street.
There is no stop sign on PGA Parkway and only small crosswalk markings for kids who are trying to get to and from the new Panther Creek High and Wilkinson Middle School.
Parent Ravi Jan says his son is in band and needs to be able to safely cross PGA Parkway outside the school zone hours.
"He comes as early as 6 a.m. and sometimes home as late as 9 p.m.," he said.
Parents say they have been complaining to the city for a year now.
But with no change in sight, Matt and Ryan Guilford took matters into their own hands.
"In this case, we just weren't getting the response we needed," Matt said.
"Having a flag clearly signals your intention to the traffic," Ryan said.
Amanda Rupley says the crash that killed 15-year-old Landon Bourque on the first day of school should be a wake-up call. The Frisco ISD student was bicycling to football practice at Heritage High School just nine miles from where these families live.
"A mom came home not knowing she would never see her son again. That is not okay," Rupley said.
Frisco Transportation Planning Manager Joel Fitts came out to the intersection Friday to answer our questions. He says the city observed this crosswalk for five days.
"We did see kids were able to cross without struggling. Sometimes, cars would not wait right away, but eventually cars would wait," he said.
Frisco's population is has grown quickly with more cars and new schools creating challenges for traffic control.
Fitts did say the city has agreed to put in yield bars and a sign at the crossing instructing cars to yield to pedestrians.
"That is something we can do right away without waiting for a study," he said.
Fitts said the city is supportive of neighborhood efforts like a flag system. It is not something the city is able to install, but he said if residents are welcome to do so.