Mother’s push helps bring sidewalks, safety measures
Pedestrian flashing beacons, signs, red curbs and ladder-style crosswalks also in the works
Rosa Loera just wanted a way for her daughter to walk safely from their house to Vermont Elementary School, right around the corner in Muscoy.
The walk requires children to step into the middle of the street — where cars sometimes drive 45 mph — because of the lack of sidewalks, other than directly in front of the school.
The journey to build those sidewalks has taken nearly a decade, with Loera’s oldest daughter now 18 and her other two children also out of elementary school, but the campaign to keep other children safe pressed on.
Now, thanks to advocacy by Loera and other residents and a sustained push by local officials, the areas around Muscoy and Vermont elementary schools have won a $1.88 million grant from the California Transportation Commission and a matching grant from San Bernardino County. It finally will bring sidewalks, pedestrian flashing beacons, signs, red curbs and more visible ladderstyle crosswalks to replace the existing crosswalks.
“It’s not for us anymore; it’s for all those kids who don’t have a safe way to get to school,”
Loera said. “I’m very happy that they’re finally listening to us and doing something for the community.”
The push picked up momentum in 2017, when students and parents advocated for it at a summit hosted by Assembly member Eloise Reyes, DSan Bernardino. A coalition formed, hosting events such as a march down the street of 100 students, parents and others to draw attention to the danger.
Reyes, now Assembly majority leader, fought for the funding and announced it this week.
“The idea for this project came from high school students who used to walk to school in Muscoy,” Reyes said in a written statement. “I honor their work, and I am so proud that they have worked with us to make it a reality. Our community deserves safer routes to school.”
The state money comes from the Active Transportation Program, which awards fewer than 11% of its applications in most years, according to Reyes’ office.
A task force formed around the need for sidewalks found Muscoy had 25 collisions from 2008 to 2017, injuring 29 pedestrians — five seriously — and killing five pedestrians. The victims came from all age groups, with the largest concentration — 38% — being ages 15-24, according to its study. The unincorporated area has a population around 12,500.
“More students should walk, and in Muscoy they are — and they deserve a safe space to walk,” said Marven Norman, executive director of the Inland Empire Biking Alliance and a member of the study group. “It’s good for congestion, good for health, good air quality.”
As a substitute teacher in the San Bernardino City Unified School District, which hasn’t had in-person classes this year due to the coronavirus pandemic, Norman also saw the danger firsthand.
The safety improvements will help more than just students, said county Supervisor Joe Baca Jr., who was elected in November to represent the district that includes Muscoy.
“There’s many uneven roads, roads without sidewalks, unpaved roads,” Baca said. “This is a good step, but we have more to do.”