(Originally published Dec. 9, 1989)
Buchtel High School students, who marched on City Hall to demand action after a classmate was struck by a car and killed Nov. 30, will have a new traffic signal in front of their school on Copley Road in 10 to 14 days.
The light will be midway between Packard Drive and Winton Avenue. It will operate automatically before and after school, but for most of the day, it will have to be triggered by pedestrians.
Akron city officials met Friday, with five students, the principal, a school board member and a member of the community to present the results of a traffic study that showed a signal was needed.
The study was ordered after the death of Michelle C. Reynolds, 17, who was struck by a car while crossing Copley at Winton. The driver, a 21-year-old Stow woman, was charged with vehicular homicide, a misdemeanor, and speeding. Principal William Holko and Mayor Don Plusquellic both complimented the students’ action. `No one overreacted. The students marched out of sincere
feelings of frustration and sorrow,’ Plusquellic said.
The traffic study found:
+ During the afternoon, 1,100 to 1,200 cars pass the school every hour.
+ About 200 students cross Copley at the two intersections within a 30-minute period.
Stop signs will remain at Packard and at Winton. In addition, `Walk’ and ‘ Don’t Walk’ signals will be installed at the traffic light, and a crosswalk will be marked.