Turn To Tara: Lawmakers, school leaders respond to crosswalk safety claims

Students as young as 11 years old recently reached out to News 12 to ask for help about their school crosswalk, which they call "a literal deathtrap."

News 12 Staff

Apr 2, 2019, 9:15 PM

Updated 2,063 days ago

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Students as young as 11 years old recently reached out to News 12 to ask for help about their school crosswalk, which they call "a literal deathtrap."
Trent Patane and his friends told News 12 they had nowhere else to turn to about the crosswalk outside the Lakeland Copper Beech Middle School in Yorktown Heights that currently lacks curbs, sidewalks, blinking lights and a crossing guard.

"I almost got hit twice because and no one was there to help us,” said student Vincent Savastano.
Shortly after the story aired, state Sen. Peter Harckham went to inspect the crosswalk.
“You got a blind turn down there, you've got a hill over here - it certainly looks compromised,” he said.

He was joined by Yorktown Town Supervisor Ilan Gilbert.
“It was good they brought it you. That brought it to light, and now we will deal with it the best we can,” said Gilbert.

Lakeland Superintendent of Schools Dr. George Stone said as a parent, he wouldn’t want his children crossing there. They all vowed to collaborate and take action.
“I’m actually going to send a letter to the DOT based upon all this that occurred to suggest we put up a pedestrian traffic light here,” said Gilbert.

Stone said parents should send their children home on the school bus until that happens. He also said he has no plans to assign a school resource officer to the crosswalk.