School Crosswalk Construction Gets Green Light

Teenagers walking to from the neighborhoods in north Watsonville have darted across College Road to get to campus ever since the school was built a decade and a half ago.

That means dodging traffic in the busy intersection—where East Lake Avenue, or Highway 152, crosses College Road—and walking sidewalk-less stretches.

But that's about to change.

Caltrans wills start an interim crosswalk project for the Highway 152/College Road intersection on Monday, Santa Cruz County Supervisor Greg Caput's office announced Friday.

Caltrans workers will modify a rail along the Salsipuedes Creek Bridge to make space for a crosswalk, which will eliminate the problem of students crossing the road, Caput's office reported.

The improvements are part of a bigger project, slated for 2013, to revamp the intersection with new lights, turn lanes and wider roads, according to information provided by the Pajaro Valley Unified School District.

District officials said the area has been "so problematic for Lakeview and safe routes for their students."

The road work should end no later than Oct. 7. Motorists should expect some delays during construction.