TITLE
Recommendation to adopt the findings of the Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee relating to updating crossing guard locations at intersections throughout the City based on qualification criteria; and
Receive and file the Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee report on Crossing Guard Deployment Plan for the 2016-2017 School Year and concur with its recommendations. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
The need for school crossing guards has evolved over time due to neighborhood changes, new school construction, population redistribution, school schedule changes, and traffic control signalization upgrades. In 1978, Long Beach voters, through a City ballot initiative, established the Pedestrian Safety Advisory Committee (PSAC) to advise the City Council on crossing guard assignments throughout the City and ensure that crossing guards were appropriately deployed. PSAC is charged with determining whether an intersection utilized by school children requires the installation of an adult crossing guard, and advising the City Council of its findings and recommendations.
On May 10, 2005, recommendations to the Mayor and the City Council included developing a Crossing Guard Deployment Plan to review existing crossing guard locations to affirm continued need. Staff recommended an evaluation of 15 percent of approved crossing guard locations every year to ensure appropriate allocation of resources. This evaluation enables the reassignment or elimination of crossing guard locations that no longer meet the Long Beach Municipal Code (LBMC) criteria. City staff also recommended that additional locations be brought annually to the City Council for consideration.
Beginning in 2008, PSAC had difficulties securing volunteers to serve as members and PSAC activity was put on hold. In 2013, the City Manager, the Department of Public Works and the Long Beach Police Department worked closely with the City Council to reconstitute PSAC. On August 13, 2015, December 10, 2015 and May 5, 2016, PSAC met and updated the Crossing Guard Deployment Plan for 2016-2017 (Plan). The Plan for the 2016-2017 school year recommends crossing guard placement at three new intersections and crossing guard removal at seven intersections from the City’s list of existing assigned crossing guard locations.
At the direction of PSAC, the Traffic Engineering Division conducted an evaluation of school-aged pedestrians and vehicular movements, for the potential placement of adult crossing guards at the following intersections:
• Stevenson Elementary School - Lime Ave./6th St.
• Whittier Elementary School - Gundry Ave./17th St.
• Cesar Chavez Elementary School - Maine Ave./3rd St.
The conditions and numerical criteria set forth in the LBMC (Exhibit A) were satisfied for all three intersections. As a result, PSAC voted unanimously to recommend the assignment of an adult crossing guard at each one of the above intersections.
PSAC also directed the Traffic Engineering Division to evaluate a request from the Long Beach Police Department relating to the status of seven intersections that at an earlier point in time were staffed with crossing guards. Due to neighborhood changes, new school construction, population redistribution, school schedule changes and traffic signalization upgrades, the crossing guards, in coordination with the Long Beach Unified School District, were removed at the following locations:
• Dooley Elementary School - Daisy Ave./Del Amo Blvd.
• Burbank Elementary School - 4th St./Junipero Ave.
• Burcham Elementary School - Bellflower Blvd./Monlaco Rd.
• Cubberley K-8 School - Metz St./Palo Verde Ave.
• Emerson Elementary School - Palo Verde Ave./Willow St.
• Twain Elementary School - Arbor Rd./Clark Ave.
• Lafayette Elementary School - Pacific Ave./Willow St.
These evaluated intersections are currently signal light-controlled, and are part of the “safe walking route to school” maps for elementary schools, which can be found at <http://www.longbeach.gov/pw/resources/general/school-walking-route/>. PSAC is recommending these intersections be removed from the list of assigned crossing guard locations. The above intersections were evaluated to verify whether they continue to meet the definition of “hazardous” as set forth in the LBMC. The evaluation indicated that none of these intersections currently meets the qualification criteria specified in the LBMC. After consideration of the evaluation criteria, PSAC voted unanimously to recommend the removal of all seven intersections from the City’s list of existing assigned crossing guard locations.
The School Crossing Guard Program is administered by the Long Beach Police Department. Staffing supports 60 locations, of which 17 are assigned two crossing guards. Currently, due to high turnover, these 17 locations are currently staffed with only one guard. The program is currently staffed with 40 crossing guards to cover all locations. An additional 25 guards are anticipated to be hired in the 2016-2017 school year.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Amy R. Webber on July 12, 2016 and by Revenue Management Officer Julissa José-Murray on July 14, 2016.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council concurrence is requested on August 16, 2016, prior to the start of the upcoming 2016-2017 school year.
FISCAL IMPACT
The school crossing guard budget for FY17 is $1,142,850. Staffing assigned to the eliminated intersections will be redeployed as necessary. The City’s School Crossing Guard Program is administered by the Police Department (PD) and is budgeted in the department’s General Fund (GF).
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
CRAIG A. BECK
DIRECTOR OF PUBLIC WORKS
ROBERT G. LUNA
CHIEF OF POLICE
APPROVED:
PATRICK H. WEST
CITY MANAGER