YCS Superintendent says flashing safety beacons near RMS, YHS are up and operational

Measures to correct “significant safety issues” for Yelm Community Schools (YCS) students who walk to school at Yelm High School (YHS) or Ridgeline Middle School (RMS) have been made as of Monday, Oct. 19, according to YCS Superintendent Chris Woods.

According to the superintendent, flashing beacons — which draw attention to students crossing the street to get to their school — broke last year.

During a Yelm Community Schools Board of Directors meeting on Thursday, Oct. 22, Woods said the beacons near RMS were up and running as of Monday, Oct. 19.

Two additional beacons were also repaired near YHS, according to Woods.

“The flashing beacons, not the crosswalk beacons, broke last year,” Woods said. “We tried to get them fixed. We brought out electricians. We brought people from other districts that had expertise. Long story short, they were not fixable. We had to order new ones from Canada, and we had to wait a long time to get them. When we got them, they were missing a part and the installer couldn’t install them.”

Woods added that YCS is thankful to see the flashing beacons up and running again, however, he said the district has been made aware of some issues with crosswalk beacons within Yelm.

“Those are the Department of Transportation’s,” Woods said. “We’ve been in contact with them.”

According to the superintendent, WSDOT contacted the district and told YCS that the department of transportation will be making the crosswalk beacons an area of interest and a priority to assess the area.

“They believe it’s a hazard,” Woods said. “Not only the crosswalk lights malfunctioning or not working properly, which is their responsibility, but just that area in general because people drive so fast — even with the crosswalk lights. Even with the beacons.”

The superintendent is happy to report that WSDOT is prioritizing student safety and making a push to address the crosswalk beacons malfunctioning in Yelm. He’s hopeful that WSDOT will not only come out and collect data, but also find solutions to address the safety concerns.

“Being a state highway, it belongs to the state. It’s not the county. It’s not the city. It’s not the school district. It’s the state Department of Transportation,” Woods said. “I was glad to hear from them yesterday (Wednesday, Oct. 22), and they should be out here very soon.”