Walking in Memphis

I spend most of my days at a desk helping people and communities across the county who work to keep kids safe. As fulfilling as that is, my favorite experiences are those that allow me to help in the community hands on.   

In 2012, we worked with FedEx to make safety modifications at Treadwell Elementary, a school in Memphis with one of the highest rates of pedestrian injuries. We partnered with Safe Kids Mid-South and other community leaders to make real changes for those students who walk to school. This is what makes my job so rewarding.

I was in Memphis for the process from beginning to end. We flew there in August 2012 and examined crosswalks, street corners and signs all around the city to see how our efforts could make the biggest impact. Over time, the changes we recommended were completed and I left for my final trip to Treadwell a year and a half later, in February 2014.

The transformation was incredible – changes to traffic flow around the school, high visibility crosswalks, improved landscaping, installation of signage, and Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacons (RRFB), the first of their kind in Memphis. And children were safer walking to school because of it.

We talked to students, parents and teachers at the school about the improvements. It was so rewarding to see what a difference we made in their everyday lives. You can see for yourself in this video, which shows before and after scenes of our improvements.

This blog was written by Kristin Rosenthal.