Fighting to improve safety near 2 schools in Overland Park

The Overland Park Public Works board discusses traffic concerns near Overland Trail elementary and middle schools.

NEW TONIGHT AT 10.KEEPING STUDENTS ANDCROSSING GUARDS SAFE.THERE IS A NEW PUSH TOIMPROVE TRAFFICCONGESTION NEAR TWOBLUE VALLEY SCHOOLS.TAKE A LOOK.PEOPLE WHO LIVE NEAROVERLAND TRAILELEMENTARY AND MIDDLESCHOOL SAY -- TRAFFIC ISA PROBLEM.AS 41 ACTION NEWSANCHOR GABRIELLAPAGAN SHOWS US -- THEYSAY THERE'S ONE WAY TOKEEP EVERYONE SAFE.Richard Napper/ Lives near 133rdstreet"We look at what happened inKCK 10 days ago with thecrossing guard, saved twokids lives, lost his own.

I'mhere for that reason and thatreason alone."Tonight's committeediscussion in Overland Parkcenters around whetheradditional measures should beimplemented on collectorstreets near blue Valleyschools to improve safety -after concerns from residentsabout speeding, traffic, anddrivers not adhering to roadsigns.Brian Shields/ OP City TrafficEngineer"I'm sure it's a number ofthings anything from peoplenot paying attention as they'redriving there in a hurry we'veeven had people who we'vetalk to when they've pulled intothe parking lot where they'veturned left and they're notsupposed to and they're likeyeah yeah I know I'm just in ahurry right now and so I'll seeyou later."Richard Napper/Lives near 133rdstreet" this is a problem 24/7."Concerned residents say thisneighborhood is unique in thatit gets a lot of Missouri tagsparticularly in the morning andevening during rush hour.Brian Shields/ OP City TrafficEngineer"sometimes it's not the factthat we have signs that sayyou should be driving 25 milesan hour, they see those,they're choosing not to drive25 miles an hour so whatother things you need to do toactually get their attention?Some strategies are alreadybeing employed - like puttingin a high visibility crosswalkthat gives the publicperception that change isahead - but for some it's notenough.Richard Napper/Lives near 133rdstreet" some of them I think willmake absolutely positivelyzero difference whatsoevernone some I think can maketremendous differences."Nnapper" we have people bypassing135th St.

Using 133rd St.

Toget to their job or to getwherever they're going theyare using that road and thatwill not stop."THAT IS WHY NAPPER -WHO ALSO SITS ON THECOMMITTEE FOR THISVERY CAUSE - BELIEVESSPEED BUMPS ARE WHATIT WILL TAKE TO MAKE ADIFFERENCE - BUT CITYEMPLOYEES Y THATOPTION ISN'T VIABLE DUETO EMERGENCY VEHICLESAND SNOW PLOWSNEEDING A CONSISTENTENVIRONMENT.Richard Napper/Lives near 133rdstreet"If a kid were to be hit who isgoing to get on TV with thislady or someone else and talkabout why we didn't do thatbecause the fire truck or theambulance or the snow plowthe speedbump will slow thetraffic."THE CONCLUSION THATCAME FROM TONIGHT'SMEETING IS THAT BECITYTRAFFIC ENGINEERREPORT BACK WITH TOP 3PRIORITIES AND CONSULTWITH OTHER C