INDIANAPOLIS — There is a new effort to keep children safe as they cross the street near school on the east side of Indianapolis. The temporary safety measures come nearly two years after a 7-year-old girl was killed as she walked near her IPS school.
"I've seen the issues on Washington Street, personally, trying to cross multiple times a day. I've seen the speeds. I've seen the reckless driving that's happening," said Michelle Pleasant, who has children attending George W. Julian School 57.
The death of Hannah Crutchfield in 2021 still weighs heavily on the people who live in this neighborhood.
"Our community has felt that loss. My children have specifically asked me to help slow cars down," said Pleasant.
The George Julian PTSA safety committee has been working with George Julian staff, Irvington Community staff, their City County Councilor and the Indianapolis Department of Public Works.
The committee received a Road To Zero Technical Assistant grant through Health By Design. The funds were used for a tactical urbanism project that creates a protected sidewalk at School 57 and a traffic slowing median near Irvington Community Middle School.
"This is one of four barriers that we have outside of George Julian acting as a protective sidewalk," said parent Hillary Brown. "We also have four in a diamond formation in the median in the center lane outside of Arlington Middle School."
Parents in this east side neighborhood say most children walk or ride their bikes to school and are at risk because people are driving too fast.
"People are not abiding by the speed limit. Especially during the school zone times. It's 25 miles per hour," said Brown. "The speeds they were going during school zone times was just crazy."
The temporary safety measures will be in place through Nov. 4. The safety committee will be studying how effective the barriers are in slowing down traffic and will be looking for a permanent solution to keep pedestrians safe near the schools.