Parents Worry About Crash-Prone Intersection

Parents of Pine Creek High School students said they are worried about safety after a crash at Powers Boulevard and Old Ranch Road on Wednesday morning.

Mark Tallant has two daughters who attend Pine Creek High School. He said he drops them off every morning and has been worried about their safety.

Tallant has seen several serious crashes at the intersection recently.

“This one, to me, was the last straw,” he said.

Tallant said there are several factors that make the area dangerous. He said the speed limit is 50 miles per hour, so cars speed through the area.

He also noted that there are a lot of young drivers who use the intersection to get to school.

Tallant said there is a hill on Old Ranch Road that is tricky for drivers to navigate. He also pointed out that there are many students who cross the busy roadway to get to school.

As a concerned parent, Tallant said he wrote a letter to Mayor Steve Bach’s office.

Sherry Parker, 49, of Falcon was seriously injured in the crash. Police said she lost control of her car, which rolled and hit two traffic poles.

Tallant said Powers Boulevard has gotten way too busy, and he hopes that an overpass will be built at the intersection, no matter the cost.

“We’re talking about the lives of our youth,” said Tallant.

KRDO NewsChannel 13 spoke to District 20’s chief of security, Larry Borland. He said the busy intersection is a traffic priority for school administrators.

He said Pine Creek High School’s principal and school resource officer keep a close eye on students who walk across the roadway.

Borland said the district does not have control over traffic engineering, but he said administrators do everything possible to keep students safe.

He noted there has not been a crash at the intersection involving a student getting hit by a car.

Borland also said that students do not have to walk to school. They can take a bus or get a ride to school.