MERIDIAN, Idaho — A broken street light and a removed bus stop have parents in a Meridian neighborhood worried about student safety, especially after dark.
Residents of a Pine Road neighborhood near Black Cat Road say a street light has been out for months, making it difficult for drivers to see — and leaving parents concerned for student safety.
Meridian parents share their concerns about street safety near Chaparral Elementary:
Aaron Edwards, a Meridian neighbor, said the darkness makes it hard to even know where you are on the road at night.
"If a pedestrian was crossing there at that same time, you're not going to see them until you're right on top of them," Edwards said.
"As we're driving down Pine coming home, we've missed the turn several times because you can't see it," he added.
Neighbors say the area is noticeably darker than other parts of Pine Road, but the broken street light isn't the only safety concern.
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The West Ada Transportation Department says a bus stop in the area was removed at the start of this school year, meaning some students now walk or ride bikes to Chaparral Elementary.
Heath Quist, a Meridian parent of four who has lived in the neighborhood for about a year, said the change hasn't drastically affected his family — but acknowledged the risks.
"My kids do walk or ride bikes a lot of the time, so it wasn't that big of a change for us," Quist said.
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"It's pretty busy, and there's not a crosswalk in between here and the light, so they, I mean, would have to go up to the light if they're going to use a crosswalk, but a lot of the kids just cut across, right? And that's, yeah, pretty dangerous," Quist added.
The West Ada School District says a safety committee reviewed the area and determined the existing crossing at Pine and Ten Mile provides a safe walking route within state guidelines. But the distance is longer than what some parents would like.
"And then when you're going along Ten Mile up to the road, that takes you into Chaparral instead of this great little corridor that gets them out away from traffic," Edwards said.
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The district says roadway improvements would be up to the Ada County Highway District. Still, some parents say they worry about what the area looks like as the sun sets earlier.
Kyla Storrs, a Meridian mom, said the darkness creates real hazards for anyone near that turn.
"You can't see reflectors, you can't see people. It's just a little bit dangerous for a turn," Storrs said. "It would be nice to have a designated place to get across."
With more families moving into this part of Meridian, neighbors say they hope infrastructure improvements will keep up with the growth.
Residents can report broken street lights to the city of Meridian through an online reporting tool at meridiancity.org. The page includes an interactive map where residents can select the light that is out and submit a report. The Ada County Highway District also offers a Safe Routes to School program, which can be found at achdidaho.org.
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