We the concerned parents and citizens want the streets of Pasco to be safe for all people, whether they are walking, bicycling, taking transit or driving. We are writing to request that the Commissioners of Pasco increase the budget to complete Phases 1, 2, and 3 of installing sidewalks on Burns Rd before the end of 2021. We would like the city to implement alternative transportation for the students until the above phases are completed. We also recommend that the City plans, develops and adopts a Complete Streets Policy to make our streets livable, safe, and comfortable for everyone.

The Problem: Unsafe walking conditions for Students on Burns Road Pasco

Due to new residential development and sprawling land-use patterns, our community’s streets disproportionally favor the automobile on Burns Rd. Lack of sidewalks, bike lanes, street lights, cross walks, Pasco School bus transportation guidelines, and accessible transit stops create major safety, health and quality of life concerns for residents. Furthermore, for those who can’t drive or don’t own a car, getting to work, school or another neighborhood safely in the region can be a nearly impossible task.

The absence of sidewalks and safety precautions on Burns Road places the community and its students in a serious predicament .

This is especially worrisome for the students attending Rey Reynolds Middle School and Columbia River Elementary School.  Many of these students are forced to face potentially harmful situations as a part of their daily routines such as using the shoulder as a sidewalk and commuting in the dark. 

The use of shoulders as a substitute for sidewalks is never justified in urban areas. Sidewalks should be delineated by a vertical and horizontal separation from moving traffic to provide an adequate buffer space and a sense of safety for pedestrians. Wide low-volume local or residential roads without sidewalks should be upgraded, but in the interim may be regulated as shared spaces or improved through the use of temporary materials where there is a potential danger to pedestrians. Burns Road does not provide a large enough shoulder to be considered safe for our children to travel on. However, despite it not being safe many students have to commute to school using the shoulder on Burns Road.  The shoulder does not provide ample space between pedestrians, bicyclists , and motor vehicles.

Another problem students are facing is inefficient lighting on Burns Road. The absence of street lights place students in danger of being struck accidentally by an automobile. Street lighting should be scaled to the pedestrian realm in addition to overhead lighting for vehicles. However, Burns road provides no lighting at all.

This dangerous situation will only become more dire when the inclement weather creates adds to the concern for our children.

Other options such as bussing our children are not made available to everyone.  The Pasco Bus transportation only allows for students who reside outside of a two-mile radius or who are enrolled in a dual language program take the bus to school.  

The Solution:
To promote safe, equitable, and comfortable streets for all users, we urge you to take our children’s safety seriously and implement the following safety guidelines:

Increase the budget for phases 1,2, and 3 of sidewalk installation, accept a bid and hire a contractor to complete the work in a reasonable timeframe.  

Offer alternative transportation to the students outside of a one-mile radius until project completion.

Install a school advance zone flashing warning sign to alert drivers prior to entering the school zone

Install a radar speed sign near RD 84 and Burns to alert speeding cars 

Create and implement a Complete Street Policy to support all road users including bicyclists, pedestrians, transit riders and motorists regardless of age, race, income, and ability.

By creating more transportation options and designing streets with everyone in mind, our community will benefit environmentally, economically, and socially.

The Action:

Passing a Complete Streets Policy to help ensure that everyone is considered in future transportation plans and projects.

Increasing the budget allotted to Phases 1, 2, and 3 of the Burns sidewalk projects.

Working with the school district and Bus transportation to extend busses to students outside of a one-mile radius until project is completed. Installing a variety of safety signage along with a Radar Speed Zone.

Please support creating livable and safe streets in Pasco for everyone and commit to developing and adopting a Complete Streets Policy.