For the past several years the City has been partnering with the Ridgefield School District to address ongoing safety concerns at the crosswalk on Hillhurst Road in front of Ridgefield High School. In 2022, we installed flashing crosswalk signs and told our community that we would seek funding for a more significant overhead crosswalk signal.
Earlier this year, the City was successful in securing a “Complete Streets Early Opportunity Grant” from the Transportation Improvement Board (TIB) for the Hillhurst School Zone Pedestrian and Bike Safety Project. On July 25, City Council awarded a construction contract for the project so that work may begin.
The Hillhurst School Zone Pedestrian and Bike Safety project includes three major pieces:
- Installation of an overhead pedestrian crossing signal on Hillhurst Road in front of Ridgefield High School (RHS).
- Installation of a new school zone speed limit flashing beacon sign on Royle Road approaching the intersection with Hillhurst Road.
- Relocation of the existing flashing beacon pedestrian signage and warning signs from RHS to a new, enhanced crosswalk between Sanderling Park neighborhood and Sunset/View Ridge Schools campus. This crosswalk will include ADA compliant ramps and improvements to the connecting walkways.
This work will be completed by the end of 2024, and the City’s contractor will coordinate directly with the City and School District to minimize impacts during work.
We are excited to see these long-awaited safety improvements installed along the Hillhurst School Zone area. Enhanced pedestrian and bike safety infrastructure along the school zone will directly impact Ridgefield students and families, increasing student safety as they travel to and from school.