Pocono News Section

Parents Call Intersection "Unsafe," Attorneys Threaten Lawsuit

Parents Call Intersection "Unsafe," Attorneys Threaten Lawsuit - Wednesday, September 2, 2009 at 5:17PM EST

Reported by: Kyla Campbell
Wednesday, Sep 2, 2009 @ 05:17pm EST

WILKES-BARRE, LUZERNE COUNTY -- No safety features have been added to the intersection of Coal and Sherman Streets since a crossing guard was hit by a car in January, and classes started up again on Wednesday.

Parents tell Eyewitness News they want change immediately. If that doesn't happen, the injured crossing guard's attorneys plan to file a lawsuit against the city.

"It is dangerous," said Cassandra Brew of the intersection. "This is one of the busiest roads, and i think people go way too fast, especially going around the corner."

That's what led to a crossing guard getting severely injured in January. Ed Martin helped kids cross the street for years. The winter accident was the second time Martin was hit at that intersection. His attorneys wrote letters to city officials asking for added safety measures.

"And I'm puzzled," said one of his attorneys, Greg Fellerman. "Because this is the first day of school. This happened in January, and nothing has been done."

Parents say the speed limit hasn't been lowered, signs have not been added, and the crosswalk lines have yet to be painted."

"The speed limit signs are all different - going down it's one thing, going across it's another, going up it's another," said crossing guard Jack Ermish. "The city doesn't know what they're doing. How are the drivers supposed to know what they're doing?"

"We are going to put the city on notice today that we are looking at a potential lawsuit against the city as a result of their inaction in correcting this crosswalk," added Ed Ciarimboli, Martin's other attorney.

Parents were happy that pressure is being put on the city.

"The kids' safety comes first," said Brew. "I don't care how much it costs. The kids come first - no matter what."

We put in calls to the city's mayor and solicitor Wednesday morning and didn't hear back by day's end. The Wilkes-Barre Area School Superintendent, Dr. Jeffrey Namey, told us he was calling the city immediately to make sure something gets done before someone else gets hurt. He says he was unaware of Martin's attorneys asking for change back in the spring.