BEVERLY — City Councilor Maureen Troubetaris is demanding that a crossing guard be placed at Elliott Street to assist elementary school students across the busy road.
"It's very dangerous," Troubetaris said. "I'm not relenting on this."
Troubetaris said the problem arose this year when students in the Shingleville neighborhood were transferred from the closed McKeown School to the Ayers Ryal Side School.
The only way to get to Ayers is to cross Elliott Street, which is Route 62.
Students can cross at the traffic light at the corner of McKay and Elliott, but Troubetaris said students who live at the far end of the neighborhood near Opal Avenue have to walk a considerable distance in the opposite direction of the school to get to the light. Even with the light, she said, there is no assurance that cars will stop.
Once they do cross Elliott Street, Troubetaris said, students still have to make their way past vehicles going in and out of the White Hen/Starbucks plaza.
"I'll let the experts decide where they should cross, but I just want them to cross with a crossing guard," she said.
Troubetaris said the School Department should have assigned one of the crossing guards from the closed McKeown School to Elliott Street. Superintendent James Hayes did not return a phone call seeking comment.
Sgt. Joseph Shairs, the Police Department's traffic officer, said he will set up a meeting with Hayes, Troubetaris and City Councilor John Burke, whose ward also includes part of Shingleville.
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