Parents and bus drivers who haul children to and from schools along Louisiana Street had new obstacles in their path Thursday.
Concrete "traffic-calming" devices have been installed on the street's center line since the school break began in December. The barriers narrowed the street at four locations, forcing most drivers to drive more slowly.
Eudora, do some striping for an island in front of Lawrence High School at 20th and Louisiana streets. The traffic-calming devices went up over the Christmas break near schools along Louisiana Street and drew both pro and con reviews from passers-by on Thursday morning.
The city's objective with the barriers is to promote safer driving on a street serving Lawrence High, South Junior High, Broken Arrow and Centennial schools. A set of the concrete slab devices is near each of the four schools on Louisiana between 19th and 25th streets.
"The traffic volume is such on Louisiana that at certain times of day it's difficult to cross, especially for a little kid," City Engineer Terese Gorman told 6News. "It's a pedestrian-friendly solution."
But drivers reported mixed feelings about the obstructions.
"I think they're a very big inconvenience," said Mandy Amyx, 17, a Lawrence High School senior. "They're just kind of a hassle because you don't feel like you have enough space."
But Eva Brabant, who lives on Louisiana Street across from the high school, said she has high hopes for the devices, which she says seem to be slowing traffic.
She used to stand on the corner with her granddaughter and wait up to 15 minutes before she was able to cross the street. Now she can cross halfway and wait on the traffic-calming concrete slab until someone stops and waves her by.
"I crossed in the middle of it today, and it was great," she said.
She's having a tough time convincing her daughter-in-law, Michelle Brabant, that the devices will be effective.
"I don't think they're going to work," Michelle Brabant said, adding they might be more useful if the city coupled them with pedestrian crossing signs or lights.
City Manager Mike Wildgen said Thursday he hadn't heard any complaints about the devices.
"We haven't received any calls up here," he said. "But school started up today, so people are encountering them for the first time. Some people won't like them. That's to be expected."
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