Parents and community members concerned about crosswalk near Century High School

(ABC 6 News) – Parents, neighbors, and the principal of Century High School gathered today to talk about their concerns after a teenager was hit by a car while crossing the road near the high school this week.

As of now, there is no information on the condition of the teenager who was struck. Parents who spoke to ABC 6 News shared their frustrations about the intersection.

"Please bring your ideas something that we can do short term they are working on the long term stuff, but we really need something done today we need something down within the next month here so that this does not happen again Rochester already suffered lots of injuries and various accidents recently," Lindsay Olson, Rochester parent, and community member said.

Parents encouraged everyone to reach out to the county commissioner to push for a change that will keep crossroads safer around the school.

"It’s really is amazing to think about how a sad event or accident like we had can bring so many people together and really look with a critical eye at potential solutions so we remain committed to fight to find a solution and to make everybody feel comfortable and safe," Century Principal Nate Walbruch said.

Parents and neighbors reached out to Rochester Public Works and provided ABC 6 News with this as a response:

"We have had a project budgeted since at least 2019 (maybe 2018) for intersection improvements at Viola Rd NE and Century Hills Dr. NE/Cassidy Dr NE. We have been coordinating the project with Olmsted County and we both have had this budgeted for design in 2022 and construction in 2023. This past year we hired a consultant to study the intersection and recommend improvements to guide our project design. The consultant’s recommendation is a roundabout with a rectangular rapid flashing beacon (RRFB) across the west leg of the intersection."

Principal Walbruch says that he will be working with the school resource officer to monitor the intersection and the crosswalk over the next couple of days and says from there the school will continue to work on an immediate solution in the meantime until a more permanent solution is decided.

Parents and community members are asking those that are concerned about the recent accident and want changes at the intersection to contact Olmsted County Commissioner Mark Thein at thein.mark@co.olmsted.mn.us.