Pedestrian Bridge Demolition in Springfield Creates a Barrier for Williams Elementary Students

A routine safety inspection of a pedestrian bridge crossing Kearney Street in Springfield, Missouri found the bridge to have irreparable damage.  It will be demolished today.  The bridge has served as a major connection between the school and neighborhoods on the opposite side of the arterial.  About 100 students per day have used the bridge to avoid the heavy traffic of Kearney Street.  The city is uncertain if a new bridge will be erected to replace it.  Unfortunately a bridge is a much needed facility to allow students access over what the school district refers to as a barrier street.

From the KY3 news: 

A new bridge, if they decide to build one, could cost as much as 1-million dollars.  Gugel says simply installing a traffic light may not be an option because Kearney Street has been designated a barrier street which means students shouldn't cross it.

In his blog, Tom Vanderbilt, author of the book Traffic: Why we drive the way we do, fears that the new barrier will inhibit children from walking to school.  He adds that the term barrier street, is something that should not prevent the city from finding a way to get children across the street safely, even without a new bridge. 

Somehow a “barrier street” doesn’t have the ring of something found in the MUTCD, but I may be wrong; any street, in any case, is a barrier with enough car traffic on it. But certainly street designations can be changed?

For now the Springfield School District is busing children across Kearney Street while transportation officials seek alternatives.