The Town of Cary is now one step closer to implementing its pedestrian road safety plan along McCrimmon Parkway, after recent crashes have driven safety concerns.
The main road outside Panther Creek High School has seen multiple crashes over the years, with WRAL reporting two such incidents in the past six months.
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“These accidents are like accidents that you’d see on a highway,” said Domeca Skipworth, who frequently drives along the road. “It’s getting really, really bad.”
Right now, there is currently no way to safely cross McCrimmon Parkway directly near the west or east entrances of Panther Creek High School, where students are coming and going from school.
The road is under North Carolina Department of Transportation’s jurisdiction. After working with the DOT and Wake County Public Schools, the Town of Cary’s design plan has been approved.
The plan implements a traffic signal and crosswalk near the west side of the school, where pick-up and drop-off take place. There would also be new crosswalks with a corresponding traffic beacon near the east entrance, which is where students access their parking lot.
After holding a public hearing on May 5, the town will now move forward with a search for a contractor who can build the design. The town is anticipating that the signal and crosswalks will go in during the summer of 2027.
“We have to do this during summer so school is off, and new student drivers don’t have to struggle through the transition phase,” said Councilmember Sarika Bansal.
Road markings are just one piece of the puzzle. Cary is also working to roll out a new student driver education campaign to encourage students to drive safely and be alert.
