KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Neighbors near the intersection of Food Lane and Longview Road, where a 9-year-old Hickman Mills School District student was killed on Oct. 14, have mixed reactions about a newly proposed ordinance to make intersections in Kansas City, Missouri's school zones safer.
Mayor Quinton Lucas introduced an ordinance Wednesday to prohibit drivers from turning right on red in KCMO's school zones during school hours. His office says the proposed ordinance is in response to the death of Hazen Workman-Duffy.
Workman-Duffy was riding her bike to school at Ingles Elementary when she was hit by a car and died.
"Although the driver was making a left turn, the incident reminds the city of the importance of taking proactive measures when it comes to keeping our children safe traveling to and from school," Megan Strickland, Lucas's press secretary, said to KSHB 41 News in an email.
Lee lives down the road from the intersection and the school. He doesn't think a no right on red rule would increase safety for students at the intersection.
"I don't think that has so much to do with it," she said. "I think they should have had a crossing guard there."
Other neighbors like Tanisha Hamilton remember when there was a crossing guard at the intersection.
"There hasn't been a crossing guard there for quite some time," she said.
The ordinance would require signs at intersections in Kansas City where school zone speed limits are implemented to notify drivers of the rule change. Signs would have to be posted within 180 days of the ordinance's passing.
"It would hold people accountable if they did do that," Hamilton said.
There were mixed emotions about the ordinance in the neighborhood.
"For the city to come out and say the best thing they're going to do is give people a rule they're not going to follow is not saying much," Catie Conover said.
All three neighbors agreed that a crossing guard is needed at the intersection of Food Lane and Longview Drive for the safety of students.
The ordinance will go before the Transportation, Infrastructure and Operations Committee on Tuesday.
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KSHB 41 reporter Lily O’Shea Becker covers Franklin and Douglas counties in Kansas. Share your story idea with Lily.
