Thermal Plastic Crosswalks Improve Safety at Lander Middle School Intersections

In Lander, the area around the middle school is a known traffic safety problem where confusion at intersections puts students and drivers at risk of accidents and injuries. Faded, poorly placed crosswalks don’t provide clear direction, and students scatter in all directions trying to navigate to school, sports practices, and the high school. When the city reached out to the student leadership team about traffic safety, these eighth graders identified the core problems from their perspective: unclear crosswalks, invisible pedestrians at key intersections, and drivers who can’t see students jaywalking. Based on student input, the city identified two critical intersections needing clearer direction. The city will install stop signs and fix curbs at the designated new crosswalk at 8th and Clinchard, but thermal plastic crosswalks—which last for years rather than months—require additional funding. Unlike road paint that fades and gets scraped by snowplows, thermal plastic crosswalks are heat-applied and stay visible and durable. LOR’s funding will help install five thermal plastic crosswalks in key areas around the school, giving students and drivers clear, safe crossing points.