Students promised a safe walk to school

AUSTIN (KXAN) - Christina Dixon and her 10-year old son, Dominic, bring their two dogs to the Slaughter Creek Trail to burn calories everyday after school.

"This is little Lucy Lu and Kenya our puppy," said Dixon. "We try to get them on the trails and get some exercise for them."

Even though the family lives close by, Dixon hauls the dogs to the park in her car to avoid crossing RM 1826 on foot. With no sidewalk and a speed limit of 55 miles per hour, it is not an option even with the survival skills she has taught her son.

"Look both ways because you could get crushed," said Dominic. "Because people here drive really fast."

Gorzycki Middle School on West Slaughter Lane sent a note home to parents in September discouraging kids to cross the dangerous road. The issue was divided between the city of Austin, Travis County and the Texas Department of Transportation. The district's state representative was contacted by her constituents and stepped in to help come up with a solution.

"As we have more growth and more neighborhoods going in, it just becomes a bigger and bigger issue, so now is the time to resolve it," said Rep. Valinda Bolton, D-Austin.

After months of weighing different options, TXDOT presented their final plan Wednesday night. It entails activating a normal stop light with a crosswalk on RM 1826 at Slaughter Lane around the beginning and end of the school day. During off peak hours, the light will return to a yellow flashing light along RM 1826.

"Wer'e also gonna use some advance technologies out there because of the hilly terrain that will have signs in advance on 1826 that will say 'be prepared to stop when flashing," said TXDot District Engineer Carlos Lopez.

A win-win according to Dixo who believes the crosswalk will cut down on traffic as well with fewer parents behind the wheel. Until the changes happen, she and her son will stick to the safest form of transportation on four wheels.