4th Grader Writes Letter About Dangerous Crosswalk

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One fourth grader at Clara Barton Elementary has a problem with some drivers in Fargo, and she’s taking stand. She says people don’t stop for walkers at the crosswalk at the 5th Street and 15th Avenue South intersection and wrote a letter to Fargo Forum to bring attention to the issue.

For Mila Mathern–Jacobson, what should be a simple quarter mile trek to school becomes more difficult thanks to impatient drivers.

She says, The crosswalk is kind of useless and wonders If people aren’t going to do anything about it, why is it there?

The journey should be quick and easy, but once she gets to the crosswalk and driver’s don’t yield it can come to a complete stop. Mila says it can take a while.

Sometimes the traffic can get so bad here that Mila ends up waiting at this crosswalk for up to five minutes in the cold. And that can lead to her being late for school.

Mila says, “When we get into the classroom we have morning work to do right away and then sometimes I have to stay in at recess or something to do it.”

Mila’s dad Scott says, “I know it can be done, so it’s a lack of effort on the drivers’ part I think and that’s frustrating to me.”

The family feels that something as simple as a flashing yellow light or a stop sign could go a long way.

Mila’s mom Reba says, “She’s not just thinking about herself but if it’s difficult for her to cross but what about the kindergartners that are also crossing here.”

Mila hopes that a letter in the paper can spark a change that can help make things safer for area kids walking to school.

This isn’t the first time Mila has been a bit of an activist. She and her family took part in the vigil against the Keystone pipeline last night in front of the federal building downtown. She also held a fundraiser where she ran for the homeless and hungry.