The City of Mount Vernon, in collaboration with Mount Vernon City Schools, the Knox County Career Center, and the Ohio Department of Transportation, has extended the school safety zone on Martinsburg Road. The modification took effect on Wednesday.
Mayor Matthew Starr stated in a Mount Vernon press release, "The safety of our residents – and certainly our children – will always be a top priority for the City of Mount Vernon. I’m very pleased that we have been able to work together with the schools and the state to get this school safety zone expanded relatively quickly. But of course, we’re not finished."
According to another Mount Vernon press release, the enforceable school speed zone now extends 300 feet south of the school property line along Martinsburg Road or just below Parrott Street on the south. It also reaches 150 north of the crosswalk at Pine Street on the north. During school hours, the speed limit is set at 20 mph.
This area encompasses 28 households with children attending either middle school or high school, as per a Mount Vernon press release. In September 2023, an unfortunate incident occurred where an 11-year-old boy was hit by a vehicle while crossing Martinsburg Road. This led his mother and other parents to voice their safety concerns to the Mount Vernon City Council a month later.
In response to these concerns, according to another press release from Mount Vernon, the city initiated a multi-stage plan aimed at enhancing pedestrian and bicycle safety on and around Martinsburg Road. The ongoing improvements include this recent expansion of the school safety zone.
As part of its future plans, according to yet another press release from Mount Vernon, the city intends to construct six new crosswalks in this area along with new sidewalks. The police department's traffic officer will be tasked with focusing on speed enforcement near these schools.
Mount Vernon also plans to apply for two grants from the Ohio Department of Transportation aimed at improving pedestrian safety for students from Mount Vernon Middle School, High School, and the Knox County Career Center. The city intends to use these grant funds to replace and add sidewalks on Martinsburg Road, Pine, Parrott, South Main, and South Division streets; as well as Yellow Jacket and Success drives.
The improvement plans also propose adding controlled crosswalks to Martinsburg and Newark roads, South Main and South Division streets, and Yellow Jacket Drive. Programmable flashing school speed zone lights will be installed along Martinsburg Road as part of these enhancements.
