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News-- Safety a concern as Nibley prepares to open new elementary school
By Trina Sedgwick
NIBLEY -- All joking was put aside on April Fool's Day as the City Council discussed
safety issues surrounding the opening of the new Nibley city elementary school.
The school, located at 2600 S. 660 West, is set to open its doors this fall. The major
concerns the council voiced to Deputy Craig Maughan, Nibley's area representative from the
Cache County Sheriff's Office, involved traffic and crosswalks.
"We need to alert people now of the school's opening," said Council Member Lynn
Welker. "The speeding that occurs along the highway in the morning is out of control. Some of
our children are going to be trying to cross there, and it really worries me."
Possible dangers also arose about railroad tracks near the school. Maughan said the city
should notify Union Pacific and tell them of the school's opening and its schedule, so engineers
will be aware when coming through that area. Maughan has two children who will be attending
the school and so he said these issues are a special concern to him.
"Children don't pay attention," Maughan said. "Their minds are on playing or just
getting home. They're not always looking when they come to the tracks, or crossing the roads."
Mayor Jay Nelson said the city is still deciding where the best place is to put up the
flashing school zone lights and crosswalks. The city has discussed it with the Cache County
school board, but no decisions have been made yet, he said.
Another issue raised by Council Member Debbie Lowry was the increased traffic from
local business Weathershield, whose shift change will occur at the same time the school is
getting out. Possible solutions suggested by Council members included flyers to local businesses,
involvement by parents and PTA, more traffic control during those hours, more speed limit signs
posted, and the placement of a speed trailer before the school opened to raise driver's awareness.
"No matter what you do there is a potential something could happen," Maughan said.
"We need to do all we can to educate the public to help prevent such tragedies from happening."
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