Cary installing flashing school zone warning signs

Cary, N.C. — Crews have started installing school zone warning flashers and signs at all public schools in Cary, officials said Thursday.

The signs and flashers will be installed throughout the summer and should be complete by the start of the traditional school year in August, officials said. Drivers are reminded that school zone speeds are in effect 30 minutes before and 30 minutes after school hours and that speeding violations within school zones carry a $50 fine plus court costs.

The installation follows an in-depth review of pedestrian safety and traffic volumes near Green Hope High School, where two vehicle-pedestrian crashes occurred in August and September 2006. The Cary Town Council also has lowered speed limits in local school zones by up to 10 mph.

“While these are county schools and state roads, the children are ours, and we’re committed to doing everything possible to help keep them safe,” Cary Deputy Police Chief Barry Nickalson said in a statement. “These accidents were sad and difficult for everyone involved, and we’re hopeful that the new signs will make a real difference in motorists’ behavior around schools.”

Officials are also looking into connecting the flashers to Cary’s Traffic Management Center so that staff can operate the signs remotely.

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Lyle, i have monitored the school, I always give my husband a heads up if i see problems such as car pool for example, and Cary PD always came through and did something about it, they stay in contact with the schools, its just a manpower issue, they dont have enough people to sit at every school everyday, its impossible, thats why i got so upset when i heard people on here saying that the officers need to get on it as though they are all just sitting in donut shops, thats not the case, they are truely some of the most dedicated officers i've seen, but they're only human.

jgirl5830
May 9, 2008 8:27 a.m.

I can appreciate what you say. Now, living so close to the schools we have discussed, would you volunteer to monitor the roads one or two days and give the tag numbers of the biggest offenders to your husband? Every little bit helps. I have done this, the police say they don't act unless they witness it, so maybe they'll listen to you? There may be bigger fish to fry, but traffic is one of the most dangerous issues on the table in cary.

Lyle
May 8, 2008 4:19 p.m.

BIGCHEESECAMATO: Very sensible, I agree with every word. SOLUTIONS! ;^)

Lyle
May 8, 2008 4:06 p.m.

Yes Lyle i am, so i think i know a little more than you do about the responsibilities of Cary PD. Cheif Cunningham got 6 new officers Ok'd by the town manager and about 2 or 3 officers have left the dept. in the last few months so there goes that, its still less than 200 officers for about 120,000 residents, think about how many are working per shift, thats not a lot of manpower. They have a very high volume of calls per day, car wrecks, etc. someone has to answer those calls, and the people around here call for anything and everything as you can imagine. No this is not Detroit but it is still a dangerous job, go ask officer almond who got shot in the face on a routine traffic stop, so instead of being critical you should appreciate what they do for being short staffed.

jgirl5830
May 8, 2008 4:06 p.m.

I live in cary, just off DD. I wish to state that I have friends on the force and have had positive dealings with the officers I have met and/or needed in a pinch. I do not wish to disparage them as individuals. I am being critical of the way they are managed and allocated, as I see it, and I have that right as a Cary taxpayer.

I have seen terrible sitations at various times and places. The front of the DD schools is pathetic in the morning, with stalled lanes on DD and buses that get cut off, etc. I don't blame the police for that. The article points to traffic contol, and the new signs. My opinion, they are not enough. I don't wish to see my children or yours endangered by speeders. It takes the police to deal with that. I wanna know where they are assigned if not at schools during peak rush hours? I never see them anywhere.

Lyle
May 8, 2008 4:03 p.m.