Issues with Crosswalk Causes Concerns for Parents in Greenville
Despite a crossing guard, school zone signs and flashing lights, parents say cars don’t slow down.
GREENVILLE, S.C. – Augusta Circle Elementary School sits in the middle of a neighborhood on the south side of Greenville, a few blocks from the busy intersection of Augusta St. and West Faris Rd. Many parents walk their children to school every morning, like Jade Fountain.
“It’s a nice bonding time. It’s a time to kind of get centered and get ready for the school day.” It’s a cherished tradition for Josh Acevedo. “It’s a 10-minute walk, and a lot of neighbors do it. Probably four to five families on our street do it. It’s a great time in the morning to be able to talk with your kid.”
But some parents say the walk comes with danger. “There’s so much fear,” said Fountain. “We love being able to walk our kids to school, but there’s fear in crossing West Faris.”
Despite a crossing guard, school zone signs and flashing lights, parents say cars don’t slow down. “Everybody has the same story,” Fountain said. “One of the parents that I saw just a few minutes ago almost got hit by a car crossing the street going back to drop his kid off.”
Families are also concerned about the woman who keeps their children safe while crossing West Faris Rd. “Miss Anne, our crossing guard, is fabulous, but we worry about her. She’s out here doing great work, but people don’t pay attention to the crosswalk at all.” Fountain told us. “Something has to give because people are just tearing through here like it’s i-85!”
We took their concerns to City Councilman Wil Brasington, who says Greenville hears them and wants to help.
“There are actionable things that we plan to do at select places around the city to enhance pedestrian safety, and that includes the Augusta Circle Elementary zone and surrounding area,” Brasington said. He told us city engineers are collaborating with the South Carolina Department of Transportation on a safety plan for the area.
West Faris Rd. is a state-owned road, which means anything done to it must be approved by SCDOT. “Yes, we have a designated crosswalk. Yes, we’ve got a crossing guard. Yes, we’ve got signage. What more, and what else can we do?” Brasington asked. “Therefore, let’s do it in ways to slow traffic specifically in that area of the crosswalk at Winyah and West Faris at the intersection where the crosswalk exists.”
Brasington told us he expects these changes to happen soon. “We’re not talking about years, we’re talking about a short period of months and ideally to coincide with the next school year,” Brasington said.
This is welcome news to families and their crossing guard, Miss Anne.
“She has taken the time to know our kids and call them by name and that is so special,” Fountain told us. “We value this, we value the crosswalk, we value the people who serve us, and we just want to make sure we’re all safe.”
SCDOT told us there are no plans for this specific section of West Faris Rd. The Greenville Police Department said it’s received multiple complaints from concerned parents and placed a patrol officer in the area to monitor speeding vehicles and issue tickets when necessary. City Council told us they welcome concerns and suggestions about the area near Augusta Circle Elementary, and parents are encouraged to reach out anytime.
