New school zones to help walkers

Peachtree City police will conduct “educational” enforcement of school safety zones for the first part of the school year, officials said.

The enforcement coincides with the new expanded school zones in some areas. The expansions were undertaken in large part to cover crosswalks and path crossings that children are likely to use when walking to school, police said.

The newly expanded zones are marked with new signs to conform with traffic safety standards, officials said.

The biggest goal of the program is to encourage more children to walk to school, police said.

The city has also standardized the times during which each school zone is active, with elementary schools each having the same time to avoid confusion. Also, Booth Middle and McIntosh High schools are on the same school zone times.

For Braelinn, Oak Grove, Huddleston, Peachtree, Crabapple and Kedron elementary schools, the school zone lasts from 7:15-8:15 a.m. and from 2-4 p.m. For Booth and McIntosh, the school zones last from 7:30-9 a.m. and from 2:30-4:30 p.m.

The school zones times are only active during school days, officials said.

Police will use the department’s visual message board to remind motorists to use caution in school zones. The department is also going to conduct informational seat belt checks at local schools periodically of motorists taking kids to or from school.

The department will also offer bike and pedestrian safety “rodeos” at local schools during physical education classes and in afterschool programs.

For more information, contact the department’s Community Response Team at 770-487-8866. Traffic complaints may be reported online at www.peachtree-city.org/traffic.

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