As the new school year approaches and San Benito High School
gets ready to open its new side of campus, administrators are
trying to take every possible step to keep crossing Nash Road
safe.
As the new school year approaches and San Benito High School gets ready to open its new side of campus, administrators are trying to take every possible step to keep crossing Nash Road safe.
Hundreds of students will have to walk across Nash Road to attend classes on the new side of campus, which sits on the corner lot of West Street and Nash Road. SBHS Director of Finance Steve Delay said the school wants to make the crosswalks much more visible for drivers to try and prevent any accidents.
“Anything we can do to make things safer for the students we’ll do,” he said.
Planned safety improvements to Nash Road include:
– making the stretch of road between Monterey and West streets a no parking zone
– making the crosswalks at Monterey and West streets more visible and include hash marks
– install rumble strips, which are slight bumps in the road, right before each crosswalk to warn drivers of the crossing
– change speed limit signs from 30 mph to 25 mph
– ad additional green and yellow signs warning drivers of crosswalks
The cost of the project hasn’t been calculated, but Delay said, if the city can’t afford the added safety precautions, the school will pick up the bill.
More than 2,700 students attend SBHS.
“There is a potential for someone to get hurt out there, and we need to make sure we do everything possible to keep them safe,” Vice Principal Duane Morgan said. “Student safety is our No. 1 priority.”
Of the changes being made, the pedestrian crossing signs in the middle of the street, and the rumble strips must be approved by the city before they can be installed. The Hollister City Council is expected to vote on the issue Aug. 2, Delay said.
Hollister Police Capt. Bob Brooks said SBHS is taking the right steps in ensuring the safety of the students.
“When the school was first built I’m sure it was on the outskirts of town, and the city has just grown around it,” he said. “Overtime it has had to expand and I’m sure the school is just making the right steps to adjust.”
The crosswalks and extra warning signs are a step in the right direction, according to Morgan, but the school has a long term goal of one day having that part of the street closed during school hours. Watsonville High School’s campus layout is similar to SBHS. WHS was able to work a deal with the city to have the street closed while school is in session.
Christine Tognetti can be reached at 637-5566, ext. 330 or at ct*******@fr***********.com.
