Marked crosswalk added a month after Modesto teen hit

Less than a month after a middle school student was struck by an SUV at Millbrook and Floyd avenues in Modesto's Village I, city crews marked a crosswalk there Wednesday to try to make the area safer.

A 13-year-old boy was hit by the sport utility vehicle Aug. 11 when he darted in front of it while trying to cross Floyd as he returned home from school along Millbrook. He suffered a broken collarbone and other injuries, but has returned to school.

Jeff Barnes, traffic engineer for the city of Modesto, said his department received five or six complaints about that intersection after the accident.

Until Wednesday, there were no marked crosswalks at the intersection, which is north of Freedom Elementary and Dan Savage Middle schools, and south of Enochs High School. Drivers on Millbrook face a stop sign, while those on four-lane Floyd have no traffic restrictions. The speed limit on Floyd is 40 mph.

Barnes said his department had received some complaints about the intersection over the years, but there weren't enough accidents there to prompt a change to the intersection to improve its safety.

In May, his department monitored the traffic at the intersection, but didn't find that traffic conditions warranted a change.

"Unfortunately, if there are no collisions, that's an indication existing traffic controls are the right ones," he said. "When traffic controls are the appropriate controls, the collision rate is low. That has been the case at the Floyd Avenue and Millbrook (Avenue) intersection. The collision record has been good."

Another check in August -- one that included a pedestrian count in lieu of accidents -- showed a 40 percent increase of cars on Millbrook approaching Floyd. His department also noted 55 pedestrian crossings in an afternoon.

Signs planned as well

In addition to the crosswalk, signs will go up on Floyd cautioning motorists about schoolchildren crossing there. The city also will install flashing warning lights.

Barnes said only one crosswalk was added because it would encourage pedestrians to use that side. Multiple crosswalks, Barnes said, can be a distraction for drivers.

He said four-way traffic signals are in the future for the intersection, but they're at least a few years away and predicated on traffic issues and money. He said four-way stop signs could be added if the accident rate worsens.

The new crosswalk should make things safer for pedestrians, but he did urge parents to use caution.

"Some children are mature and can handle arterial roads, and others can't," he said. "It's very important that parents know what their children can handle."

Bee Online News Editor Brian Clark can be reached at bclark@modbee.com or 578-2362.