1,600+ signatures in just 4 days: Lakewood parents demand safer routes to school

Following a citizen-led petition, Lakewood City Council is now considering two ordinances that would enhance safer walking routes to school.

Dr. Matthew Badgett, the first of five petitioners, works as an internal medicine primary care doctor and pediatrician in Lakewood. Badgett has two kids, one of whom is four.

"They're getting old enough that I'm really thinking a lot more about safety as a concern," he told me on Tuesday. "Obviously, you hear about crossing accidents all the time. When we noticed that the Lakewood School Districts were proposing to extend children's walking distance and expose them to crossings that conflict with the city's transportation and safety plans under a change of school boundaries, there was no clear means for coordination or enforcement."

One of the leading forces behind this petition is the soon-to-be closure of Lincoln Elementary.

The vote on the closure happened in September, which will displace hundreds of students.

RELATED: Lakewood City Schools board votes again to close Lincoln Elementary after lawsuit and community pushback

"A number of parents within Lincoln are particularly concerned about this because their kids have to go extra far," Badgett said. "With the changing districts, a lot of the grandparents now have to cross railroad tracks. We really wanted to make sure that, you know, as we saw risks were increasing, we created a process and to make sure these changes came about as quickly as possible."

The citizen-led petition garnered more than 1,600 signatures despite only needing about 944.

Badgett said the signatures were gathered in four days.

The petition asks for a mitigation plan, publicly shared data and statistics from the city's engineer on Lakewood traffic and infrastructure, additional funding for crossing guards and police, and traffic-calming improvements.

Once council was notified of the petition's signature verification, two ordinances were placed on this week's agenda.

The first one establishes a school-zone monitoring program.

Those caught speeding six to nine miles over the posted limit would be fined $100.

Drivers who go 10 miles or more over the limit will be fined $200.

"I personally, you know, have concerns about privacy, but then I also think that when it comes to child safety like some things need to be waived," Badgett said.

Lakewood Councilman-At-Large Tom Bullock said, "That's all just the first draft. Consider that written in pencil. That'll need some public discussion, but that's mirrored on, you know, non-camera fines."

Bullock said he has unfortunately seen an increase in distracted drivers and is hopeful an ordinance like that deters it. He also points to statistics from the last three to five years showing at least two of Lakewood's school zones falling especially victim to speeders.

"Police can't be everywhere. They do a good job of getting out there, but we all have seen, and I do it too: 'Hey, there's a cop. I'm going to slow down,' and then I pick up my speed afterward.' I have been to other communities in Cuyahoga County where I haven't really appreciated the speed camera. I think we would need to be fair and post things clearly so that people are complying because I don't think the goal would be to collect an extra nickel. The goal would be to enforce and be successful in safe conditions," Bullock said.

The second ordinance under consideration would create a Safe Routes to School Fund.

The money in that pot would only be used for school public safety purposes, including crossing guards, infrastructure, and other safety improvements.

"I want to credit first of all a couple of my colleagues: Councilman Kyle Baker, Councilman Matt Bixenstine. [They] really led the charge in this. We're building a Lego tower. The proposal by council members, I think, had been maybe on the drawing board, but because the residents came forward and said let's get clear, let's get real, let's do this on a timeline with some accountability, I think some of my colleagues brought forth and introduced the stuff they've been working on for a while at this meeting," Bullock said.

He told me on Tuesday that the city wants to maintain its walkability, and that ordinances like this will help.

Both now head to a committee for further discussion.

If council doesn't pass the Safe Routes for Children Initiative as submitted, it will go to voters for a decision.

"I think we've got the funds to allocate significant funds for this, like $2 or $3 million worth of funds to do serious amounts of intersections around town," Bullock said. "I think we'd better challenge ourselves and move more quickly... if we're going to do it. If we take that step, we'd better move more rapidly than three years."

He said the main concerns he could see from implementers include how each ask can be done, if more feet on the ground are needed in school zones, and how much it would cost.

Badgett acknowledges the questions, but is hopeful both ordinances will reach the finish line.

"I accept that it will take, you know, one, two, three years, right? I think that's realistic. I think a lot of it also depends on, you know, if some of the projects can get grant funding. That'll change things, certainly," Badgett said.