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Safe crossing for kids Children play on a climbing structure that also rotates like a merry-go-round at Don Jones Park in Central Point. Heavy use of the park, which is not yet complete, is generating concern among city officials over children�s safety crossing busy West Vilas Road. Jim Craven Saturday Mar 14, 2009 at 12:20 AM CENTRAL POINT — Families who live in the vicinity of the new playground at Don Jones Memorial Park should avoid sending small children across busy West Vilas Road until a signalized crossing is constructed this summer, city officials said this week. By buffy pollock CENTRAL POINT — Families who live in the vicinity of the new playground at Don Jones Memorial Park should avoid sending small children across busy West Vilas Road until a signalized crossing is constructed this summer, city officials said this week. Almost as quickly as a new playground was installed at the park, a slew of 100-kid days began causing safety concerns for city officials. They worry that 45 mph traffic and two blind curves on West Vilas, which turns into Hamrick Road, could spell disaster for children crossing the three-lane road to get to the playground. Deputy Public Works Director Chris Clayton said a $400,000 signalized crossing is planned this summer, but funding from the state bike and pedestrian grant won't be released until July 1. Until the crossing is in place, city officials are urging parents to drive kids to the playground instead of allowing them to walk. "We're planning the crossing to make things safer but, for right now, we're really worried about the kids that are crossing the road," Clayton said. Medford's Sheila Boeggeman, who visited the park on Thursday, said she "can't imagine" sending even the oldest of her children, which range in age from 4 months to 14 years old, to cross West Vilas. "Seriously, it's like the game Frogger!" Boeggeman said. "I wouldn't even think of coming over if I was on foot and I can't imagine people letting their kids cross." Kailene Stewart, also at the park on Thursday, rode bikes with her daughters, 10-year-old Sage and 7-year-old Shelby. She said traffic on the road was intimidating. Stewart said residents of nearby subdivisions "know how crazy the traffic is" on Hamrick and Vilas roads and that she'd never allow her children to cross on their own. "We discussed it before we did it. We said, 'How are we going to do this and where's the best spot to cross?'" Stewart said. "We got lucky, we had a break, but it's a lot farther to cross than I realized. We got halfway and I said, 'OK, run!' It's scary there are kids who are coming across on their own." Clayton said the city anticipated heavy traffic to the park, but perhaps not as heavy as it has been with recent sunny weather. "Now, with LaClinica and the park already being heavily used on the weekends even though it's not finished, it's pretty congested in that area," Clayton said. City Council members voted Thursday to take jurisdiction of Hamrick and Vilas from Jackson County. The city will take over all of Hamrick between Pine Street and the playground and some 200 feet of Vilas until just past the park. The city plans to petition state transportation officials for a speed limit reduction and implement other traffic calming measures. In the meantime, Public Works Director Bob Pierce said county officials approved city crews installing signs in the area to caution motorists to watch for children. Interim Community Development Director Matt Samitore said rest rooms are a month away from completion and further improvements on the park site are still under way. "It is still an active construction site. We're going to be building a water spray park, irrigation for the site, hydro-seeding," Samitore said Friday. "People need to be conscientious when they're using the playground. We had over 100 kids playing there this afternoon — and this is before even grass and trees and the water park have gone in." Pierce said county officials would review the jurisdictional transfer on March 25 and hold a public hearing April 29. For details on Don Jones Memorial Park, visit online at http://www.ci.central-point.or.us/pr_department.htm. Buffy Pollock is a freelance writer living in Medford. E-mail her at [email protected].