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A crossing guard watches students at Hampton Oaks Elementary make their way to school in 2002. Today, Stafford County is considering a walking-zone program.
ROBERT A. MARTIN/FREE LANCE-STAR

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but walking/biking needs more study

Walking to school in Stafford, by Laura Dean

Date published: 10/16/2009

IATTENDED THE recent public meeting at Rocky Run Elementary School regarding walking zones. Even though public notice on the district Web site stated that School Board members might be present, none of the sitting members, including Hartwood representative Doreen Phillips, attended. Nobody from The Free Lance-Star attended the meeting, and the article on Oct. 2 severely minimized the concerns discussed ["Stafford schools promote walking"].

Interestingly, Noreen Crowley, who is challenging Phillips, did attend the meeting and our PTO meeting three days later. Such interest is unprecedented, and I sincerely hope that Crowley is elected and that she will continue to attend meetings and events at Rocky Run. She certainly has my vote.

Regarding the proposal: As a child I walked or biked to school with several friends. It was part of our daily lives, and nobody gave it a second thought. I totally agree that a healthy lifestyle of walking and biking should be promoted. However, there are many challenges in 2009 that did not exist when I was a student. These were clearly outlined by parents and bus drivers at the meeting, but nobody took notes and, again, no School Board representatives attended.

There are some schools that would lend themselves nicely to such a program, but not Rocky Run. The most important concern is the safety and security of our children. I do not live in the affected area, but I care deeply about the school and all of the students. The proposal for Rocky Run includes two paths--one very close to a water-retention pond and another that runs downhill into the only access for vehicular traffic. The county is proposing the use of 8-foot fences and other improvements, but this does not change the fact that walkers/bikers would arrive or be dismissed among running cars and buses.


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Date published: 10/16/2009


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Location of schools (posted by ChellChell , Oct. 16, 2009 10:55 am)   
I do not know where the other schools are located but I do know where Rocky Run is located. Putting up fences between the side walk which there is little of and the road where the children would be walking will not work for the Rocky Run students. It is not feasible. I agree with Mrs. Dean, "I believe that walking zones should be purely optional and that buses should continue to run on the affected routes for those families that rely on such service." Stafford Schools need to rethink their plans.

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