Jefferson Park crosswalk safer thanks to Girl Scout's effort

Sid Garcia Image
Friday, June 9, 2017
Jefferson Park crosswalk safer thanks to Girl Scout effort
Girl Scout Gwendolyn Rudd (2nd from right) walks with City Council President Herb Wesson on the Jefferson Park crosswalk that now has a lighted signal thanks to her work.

JEFFERSON PARK, LOS ANGELES (KABC) -- One Los Angeles crosswalk is a little safer now thanks to some hard work by a local Girl Scout.

Gwendolyn Rudd convinced her Girl Scout troop and the local neighborhood council to push City Hall to install a lighted crosswalk at a busy section of Jefferson Boulevard at Third Avenue.

"When I was smaller I didn't want to cross here because I was really scared," Rudd said. "So my mom would have to go out and ask them to stop because they would go really, really fast."

She wasn't sure it would ever happen. The effort took nearly two years and the some shuffling of city funds.

Elizabeth Garcia, who works at a neighborhood day care, is among those who are glad it finally happened.

"One of our core responsibilities at the school is the child's safety," Garcia said. "And this is a major part of their safety while they play. So we are extremely happy and grateful to witness this."