An upcoming street project will help out with some long-time safety traffic concerns near Kolda Elementary School. The improvements will be on Slough Road from Rodd Field to Amethyst Drive. For years, parents and people who live in the area have worried about the children going to and from school while dodging heavy traffic and only having a small stretch of sidewalk along that road.
Hillary Shenkle is one of the parents who is happy that the long wait for these improvements is finally almost over. She has a second grader and a fourth grander who attend Kolda Elementary. She says she sees the danger that comes with drop-offs and pick-ups at the school almost everyday.
“One lady this morning almost got hit by a car because they were too busy paying attention to the road and not able to pay attention to where she was,” Shenkle told KRIS 6 News.
Because there are only narrow, two-lane roadways on both Slough and Rodd Field, Shenkle says she also deals with big traffic back-ups. As she explained, “Sometimes it can be backed all the way up and and people are really nice about letting you in. but some there’s some crazy drivers and they’ll go around you in the left hand lane to get to the light and they speed.”
Relief is on the way. Next year, the city will start the improvement project on Slough Road. It was originally part of the Bond 2018 proposal, but it was removed.
“Like our other arterials and collectors on our bond programs, it needs to be fully reconstructed. It needs a lot of work,” said Michelle Villarreal-Leschper, spokesperson for the city’s Engineering Department.
The project will now be paid for with Type B funds. The revenue comes from a sales tax approved by voters in 2016. Some of those funds are designated for street construction, maintenance and repair.
Slough Road will be fully reconstructed and widened. Other renovations include new sidewalks, curbs and gutters, and street lighting. The road will also get a new underground stormwater system.
The city will hold a public meeting about the slough road project to give people a chance to give input. It will be held Thursday, December 6, at Fellowship of Oso Creek on 7402 Yorktown Boulevard. An open house starts at 5:30 pm, followed by a presentation at 6 pm.
