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SALT LAKE CITY — The new school year kicks off in Salt Lake City on Tuesday. And city leaders want to make sure students get to and from class safely.
On Thursday, Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall, along with Police Chief Mike Brown, announced the Safe Passage Initiative would be returning next week.
"Young students shouldn't have to worry about getting safely to school. And their parents shouldn't have to worry about potentially unsafe circumstances for our kids," the mayor said.
Salt Lake City sponsored the Safe Passage Initiative for many years before it went away. Last year, the initiative was brought back. And, as they did in 2022, Mendenhall and Brown announced its return on Thursday while standing in front of Backman Elementary School.
As part of the Safe Passage Initiative, Salt Lake City police will have a visible presence around Salt Lake School District schools starting Tuesday — but, especially at Backman, 601 N. 500 West, and Mary W. Jackson Elementary, 750 W. 200 North.
"This action is not any indication of a rise in crime or traffic-related incidents in this area. It's another proactive effort for us to ensure that our children are safe as they return to school," Mendenhall said.
In addition to speed enforcement, officers will be on bicycles and walking the routes students will be taking to make sure they get to school and get home without a problem.
"Our officers will be present around school zones during peak hours, focusing and deterring any reckless behavior," Brown said.
Busy roads
Salt Lake School District Superintendent Elizabeth Grant said her district faces unique challenges because of its urban location.
"Our city has some of the busiest roads in the state," she said, noting that heavy traffic is a problem on a daily basis.
During Thursday's press conference, speakers had to pause their comments a couple of times because of loud traffic noise or sirens from emergency vehicles along 600 North.
"As you can see from where we are standing, this is a tough part of the city to walk in. Backman is situated in a busy, high-traffic area," Grant said, while also pointing out that both Redwood Road and the Jordan River Parkway are located nearby. "You can imagine the commute to school can be a little precarious for many of our students."
Grant also noted that despite their best efforts, tragedy sometimes strikes as it did last December when an elementary school student was killed in an auto-pedestrian crash.
"Any program that helps our kids get safely to school is a win," she said.
Backman principal Matthew Teitte said the majority of students at his school walk to class and "do encounter, sometimes, speeding traffic. People tend to take 600 North a little bit fast."
And while people who live at homeless camps along the Jordan River Parkway haven't directly been a problem with students walking to school, some students sometimes come across "unsettling situations" when walking along the trail.
In addition to motorists doing their part, Brown said it is important for students to do their part — to stay safe by using sidewalks and crosswalks and wearing reflective clothing as much as they can.
