'We've already suffered a tragedy,' says parent in favour of Topsail Road pedway
A controversial proposal to build a pedway near the new Waterford Valley High School in St. John's continues to generate a lot of debate.
Some parents and students are recommending a multi-million dollar walkway be built over a busy section of Topsail Road, while others want other options to be explored.
Pedestrian safety has been a consistent issue since a 17-year-old student was struck and killed on Topsail Road by a driver last February.
Parent Sarah Colborne Penney said if a driver or a pedestrian isn't paying attention, it could spell disaster.
"We've already suffered a tragedy. A Bishops student was killed crossing Topsail Road in a crosswalk," she said.
Last winter, Colborne and the Bishops School council came to the conclusion the best solution for the intersection would be a pedway.
The council wrote to the City of St. John's, the Newfoundland and Labrador English School District and to the provincial government, asking for a pedway.
"The response that we received was not particularly favourable. They pointed to jurisdictional issues ... the school said it was the city's responsibility, and vice versa," said Colborne Penney.
"Even if we do build a pedway, it won't happen tomorrow," said Pike.
"So before you sort of jump to one solution I would want to know ... there are a lot of people with experience in this area. Let's make sure we are going to get a solution that will actually work, rather than a quick response."
Pike said engineers did conduct a traffic study for the area, but it did not include plans for a pedway. However, he said the board will meet with city officials soon to discuss the issue.
He added that Waterford Valley school staff have been hammering home the safety message to students.