MIDDLETON, Idaho — A new crosswalk could soon give Middleton High School students a safer way to get to campus from a nearby neighborhood.
The City of Middleton has secured a grant to extend the West Highlands Meadows subdivision walking pathway toward the high school, connecting it with a new lighted, push-button-activated crosswalk across Willis Road.
Right now, the existing pathway ends at the sidewalk along Willis Road, leaving students without a designated safe crossing to reach the school grounds.
For neighbors like Shawntae Smith, the need for a safer crossing is something she's seen firsthand.
"You can barely get your car out, let alone get both sides to stop for a child to cross," Smith said.
Smith said she's seen students trying to cross Willis Road and has even reached out to city leaders about the need for a crosswalk.
"I said, 'Hey, we really need one over here because there's kids trying to cross,'" Smith said.
WATCH: Hear more from city leaders about plans for the new crosswalk.
Middleton Public Works Director Jason Van Gilder said the city has been working on the project for about a year and is coordinating with the school district to help move it forward.
"We do have plans to get a crosswalk from the pathway leading from the development to the north to get those kids a safe route to get to school and make it more accessible for them," Van Gilder said.
The planned crossing is expected to include lighting and a push-button-activated beacon, allowing students to signal to drivers when they need to cross.
Van Gilder said the school district shares the city's interest in improving student safety.
"They have some vested interest in keeping their students safe. We want to as well, and if we can work together to make that happen, we're excited about that," he said.
The project comes after neighbors have raised concerns about safety along Willis Road, including at the intersection with Cemetery Road and near the area where Middleton High School student Carson Chrapkowski was hit and killed earlier this school year.
The road is used by more than just students, with families and other community members walking through the area.
"A lot of people that walk their dogs, and I, you know, it's just such a long stretch of road right by a school that I think it's important to have something like that over there," Smith said.
The crosswalk is not the only safety project being discussed along Willis Road. The city is also planning a study of the Willis Road and Hartley Avenue intersection to consider possible improvements.
As Middleton continues to grow, Smith hopes city leaders keep road safety and infrastructure in mind when considering additional development.
"I just hope that the city continues to look at the roads and the infrastructure, and also take that into consideration when proposing and allowing more development of houses to be made," Smith said.
The city hopes to have the new crosswalk in place by next spring.
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