Brownsville adds new solar-powered warning signs at school crosswalk

BROWNSVILLE, Tenn. — City officials in Brownsville have been working to provide a safer way for students to get to and from school.

On Key Corner and Meadow Street, near Haywood Middle school, you’ll find something new at the crosswalk.

“We put in the sidewalk and then we added in the solar panel crossing, the flashing signs, to let oncoming traffic know that there is a cross in the area when somebody’s in the crosswalk,” Mayor Bill Rawls said.

Funding for the project came through the Safe Routes to School federal program. “It was a $100,000 project. It cost the taxpayers here in Brownsville zero dollars.”

Mayor Rawls said the parking lot, connected to Webb Banks Keycorner Passive Park, is where a lot of parents come to pick up their children after school, so having this new addition is extra beneficial to the city. Because the warning signals are solar powered, it’s always fully charged and ready to go.

“There’s a push button to access right there so it’s not flashing all the time. It’s not on a timer, but it’s just pushed and used as needed,” Rawls said.

Safety rails were also built, along with a sidewalk stretching from one side of the middle school to the park. “This is about connectivity, connecting the neighborhood to the school,” Rawls said.

Mayor Rawls said there were concerns from community members about how the changes with the sidewalk would affect their property.

“We were able to work out a cooperative agreement with the neighborhood, with the schools and with our engineering firm to make sure it happens. We try to keep everybody happy,” Rawls said.

The city will begin construction on another safety route for the elementary school during summer break.