When it comes to "taking a village to raise a child", Eddystone has cornered the market. Eddystoners may disagree on a lot of things, but one thing we all have in common is the love for our children. Now that school is back in session, kids fill the streets from about 7:00am when the high school crowd is catching their round of buses to about 8:30am when our elementary kids are walking to school. This time frame is also the height of morning rush hour.
Eddystone's speed limit is 25mph, however cars coming into town from Chester via the 9th Street bridge are frequently traveling at much higher rates of speed...including SEPTA buses. Saville Avenue between 9th Street and Route 291 also seems to be a hot spot for people speeding through our town on their way to work. I don't know if police officers really have a ticket quota or not but if they do, these two streets are a virtual gold mine.
Speeders aren't our only problem. Almost every intersection in Eddystone has a stop sign. This is to help insure that our residents (especially the children) are safe when crossing the street. The problem, however, is that cars either do not come to a complete stop or they run through the stop signs altogether. Call it whatever you want...Rolling Stops, South Philly Stops, California Stops...I call them a "Cash Cow". Our neighbors over in Ridley Park charge $109 to roll through a stop sign. Ka-ching!
Some residents have taken measures to remind folks coming through town to slow down. I've often seen a sign in the back of a pick up truck on 9th Street that says "Slow Down! 25mph. This means you too SEPTA!" Our crossing guards are strategically placed at the busiest of intersections and there is usually a police car parked in front of Eddystone Elementary School during the "School Zone" hour. Yet we still have a problem with speeders and stop sign runners.
The police do what they can, but they are stretched a little thin. I would love to see more police presence on 9th Street and Saville Avenue in the mornings. I think after a few weeks of ticketing, word may spread that Eddystone is a town you do not want to speed through if you're running late. Maybe speed bumps could be used in certain areas? The threat of car damage, if going over them too fast, may be enough to deter most people.
Our kids are precious...every last one of them and Eddystoners do a great job of keeping them safe. Remind the kids to cross at corners and, if you can, walk the little ones to school. Get to know the crossing guards. If you see a child darting across the street without looking, call him on it. It takes a village.