Every day, both vehicles and pedestrians use Wellsboro’s Main Street and its intersections. Because of the frequent use of its intersections, it is expected that these intersections should be made as safe as possible for pedestrians crossing them.

However, it has come to attention that the Main Street/Central Avenue intersection by the Green poses some risks to crossing pedestrians. When the walk sign is on at the intersection, cars are sometimes still able to drive and/or choose to drive through, causing more risk to pedestrians crossing through this area. This intersection is very busy, especially at the beginning and end of school on weekdays. It is worrisome that cars drive through this intersection, especially during busy times, with a lack of regard for pedestrians. And it is worrisome that the light seems to occasionally allow cars through the intersection, even when the pedestrian walk sign is on.

Talking to others in the town, both adults and children, many shared similar worries about the Main Street/Central Avenue intersection. One student mentioned how one time as she was crossing that intersection, a bus drove right in front of her without regard to her safety. A parent talked about how at the beginning and end of school hours, there is a crossing guard at that intersection, but they only cross one of the walkways on the street, leaving students crossing other directions to cross the intersection themselves and posing a higher risk for those children.

Though there are issues with this intersection, there are some solutions that could help make the intersection safer. One thing that could be done is to add a no-turn-on-red sign at the intersection. This would help prevent cars turning to the right on red from driving through the intersection while the pedestrian walk sign is on. Another solution would be to add more crossing guards to cross students before and after school in order to prevent children from having to cross on their own. These crossing guards could be teens from the high school, like how the school normally gets crossing guards, or they could be a police officer that helps aid students across the street. No matter what, something needs to be done to make the Main Street/Central Avenue intersection safer for crossing pedestrians.