This image is a sample of the displays that will populate West Palm Beach during the Back-to-School 3D Campaign.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE WEST PALM BEACH INSIDER NEWSLETTER

Courtesy of the West Palm Beach Insider Newsletter

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. – The City of West Palm Beach (WPB) welcomed special visitors from August 14-18 in an effort to make the city’s streets safer for children as the start of the new school year gets underway.

3-D, life-sized, human shaped signs representing young pedestrians and bicyclists will be placed around schools located in the city to promote safety and raise awareness about how roads are shared by all: walkers, bicyclists and drivers.

WPB partnered with the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) and the School District of Palm Beach County to hold the week long safety ‘Alert Today, Alive Tomorrow’ campaign.

The signs were moved throughout the week to the streets surrounding these five different locations:

• Monday, August 14: Northmore Elementary School; 4111 N. Terrace Drive

• Tuesday, August 15: Dreyfoos School of the Arts; 501 S. Sapodilla Avenue

• Wednesday, August 16: Forest Hill High School; 6901 Parker Avenue

• Thursday, August 17: Conniston Middle School; 3630 Parker Avenue

• Friday, August 18: Belvedere Elementary School; 3000 Parker Avenue

Students attending Palm Beach County Public Schools returned Monday, August 14, signaling the opening of the 2017-2018 school year.

The beginning of school also means a sudden change in traffic patterns and kids walking and bicycling to school.

The beginning of the school year is a time when children are at an increased risk of transportation-related injuries from pedestrian, bicycle, school bus and motor vehicle crashes.

The city offers the following tips, courtesy of FDOT, for making the back-to-school commute safer:

• Reduce your speed and obey the posted school zone speed limits.

• Always stop for the school bus that has stopped to load/unload children.

• Be alert and ready to stop. Watch for children, especially where there are no sidewalks.

• Give children on bicycles lots of room (3 feet required by law).

• Expect more traffic on the roads and factor this into your daily commute time.

For more information, contact City of West Palm Beach Development Services Senior Planner Heather Tribou at 561-822-1562.