Pictured at the crosswalk dedication on Friday, October 23, 2009, are – from left to right – Lake County Road Superintendent Steve Stangland, maintenance worker Joe Carter, sign and paint superintendent Jim Stuchert, maintenance worker Mark Fotch, Lake County Public Works Director Brent Siemer, Rotary President John Burke (kneeling), Rotary Past President Wally Holbrook, Kelseyville High School Principal Matt Cockerton and Kelseyville Unified School District Superintendent Dave McQueen. Photo courtesy of Kelseyville Sunrise Rotary.

KELSEYVILLE – Rotary Club Kelseyville Sunrise, the Lake County Department of Public Works and Kelseyville schools recently partnered in a project to keep Kelseyville school children safe while crossing the street to and from school.

The Rotary Club donated $1,500 for special safety signs that were installed in new crosswalks across Main Street and Konocti Road by the Department of Public Works.

The new crosswalk signs were dedicated on Oct. 23.

The two roads are main arteries and are very busy, especially just before and after school.

Since pedestrian fatalities account for more than 10 percent of traffic related fatalities, student safety in this area has been a concern for several years.

Distractions such as drivers on phone calls – hands free or not – and students listening to music or talking on cell phones resulted in compromised pedestrian safety.

The new signage includes fluorescent yellow signs in the middle of the crosswalks; the signs are specially designed to catch the attention of drivers.

Public Works Director Brent Siemer is educating communities about the “3-legged Stool of Safety: Safety, engineering and education” and urges people to practice to “Do safe without thinking.”

Especially with the time change and winter weather, drivers and pedestrians need to pay more attention to what’s going on around them – including looking and listening, because safety is in everyone's best interest.

The Road Sign Project in Kelseyville was started by Rotary Past President Wally Holbrook. Seimer, Kelseyville Unified Superintendent Dave McQueen and Kelseyville High School Principal Matt Cockerton were all key to the success of the project.

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