Title
An ordinance amending Chapter 9 of the City Code thereby providing a school zone for McKenzie Elementary School along Gus Thomasson Road, Driftwood Drive, Emerald Drive and Edgebrook Drive and providing a school zone for Terry Middle School along Faithon P. Lucas, Sr., Boulevard and Creek Valley Road.
Body
The purpose of a school zone is to improve student safety at street crossings by designating a crossing location and imposing reduced speed limits in the vicinity of the crossing. Staff proposes adding new school zones on Gus Thomasson Road, Driftwood Drive, Emerald Drive and Edgebrook Drive for McKenzie Elementary School and on Faithon P. Lucas, Sr., Boulevard and Creek Valley Road for Terry Middle School.
Based on a request from Mr. James Huckaby, Director of Safety and Risk Management for Mesquite Independent School District (MISD), Traffic Engineering staff conducted school zone justification studies on Gus Thomasson Road, Driftwood Drive, Emerald Drive and Edgebrook Drive for McKenzie Elementary School and on Faithon P. Lucas, Sr., Boulevard and Creek Valley Road for Terry Middle School. The request for additional school zones for these schools was caused by cancellation of bus routes by MISD, serving several multi-family apartment units located on Driftwood Drive, east of Gus Thomasson Road, and single-family subdivisions, located west of Faithon P. Lucas, Sr., Boulevard and Creek Valley Road. Observations during school ingress and egress indicate that students are walking to school, by crossing the traffic signal at Gus Thomasson Road and Driftwood Drive, and at the intersection of Faithon P. Lucas, Sr., Boulevard and Creek Valley Road, with assistance from school crossing guards.
Financial Implications
By prior agreement, MISD participates in 50 percent of the cost of deployment of crossing guards and installation of school flashers. The Traffic Engineering operation budget will cover the costs associated with the installation of signs.
Recom...
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