Making Columbia Falls streets safer for school kids

Shirley Vickery enjoys her job as a crossing guard at Glacier Gateway Elementary School in Columbia Falls. But she’s nearly been hit by passing vehicles twice while doing her job this year.

The city of Columbia Falls did something about the situation last week. As part of the continued Safe Routes to Schools program, city crews installed new stop signs at crosswalks near the school that are taller and include programmable flashing lights.

The city also installed new stops signs and flashing lights at the intersection of Nucleus Avenue and Fourth and Fifth streets. Those lights aren’t programmable, but when pedestrians want to cross the street, they can push the crossing button and a yellow caution light will begin flashing.

All told, the signs and lights cost just over $17,000, city manager Susan Nicosia said.

The signs at Glacier Gateway are currently in concrete containers, but they will be installed permanently.

While Vickery wears a bright fluorescent vest and carries a large stop sign, some people just didn’t stop with the old stop signs. Part of the problem was the old stop signs were lower to the ground, and a parked vehicle, particularly a large SUV, could hide them from view.

The new signs tower above the street and include a solar panel that recharges the light’s batteries. Nicosia said the lights can be programmed by school personnel depending on schedules and events at the school.

She said the city is pursuing federal grants to install similar measures at Ruder Elementary School and the junior high.