Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Safety topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Estacada committee, school officials press for safer crossings after repeated bus incidents
Summary
City committee and school transportation staff reviewed the Safe Routes to School plan, described continuing red-light violations around school buses and asked staff to coordinate on lighting, crosswalk upgrades and technical assistance for future funding.
Estacada Traffic & Public Safety Committee members and school transportation staff discussed gaps in pedestrian safety around local schools and repeated incidents of motorists running school-bus stop signals during the committee meeting.
The discussion centered on the Safe Routes to School plan prepared in 2016–17, current crossing and lighting needs around Rivermill Elementary and other campuses, and recent enforcement challenges affecting school buses. Sarah, transportation coordinator for the Estacada School District, told the committee that new state rules enabling red-light enforcement on school buses took effect Jan. 1 and that bus drivers report dozens of red-light violations and daily red-light runners on some routes. “We probably have 8 to 10 red light runners a day on the highway of our school buses,” Sarah said, and she described a recent incident in which a motorist passed a stopped bus on Highway 224 on the passenger side.
The school and city officials said they view lighting, marked crosswalks and targeted enforcement as the top near-term priorities. City staff said a Safe Routes to School technical-assistance program called “thriving communities” can provide planning support and limited matching funds for grant applications; staff did not confirm an exact dollar amount. The city will work with the district to update the 2016–17 plan and prioritize sites for improvements such as enhanced lighting, marked crossings and shared-use paths.
Chief Mendoza, speaking for local law enforcement, said the department has a threat-assessment unit that works with federal partners and noted that deputies have increased traffic enforcement. Mendoza also said that local officers do not enforce federal immigration law and that cooperation with federal agencies on immigration-related enforcement would be an administrative decision by the sheriff’s office. “We enforce local and state laws; federal enforcement decisions are made at the sheriff’s administrative level,” Mendoza said.
School staff described operational challenges. Sarah said buses travel long routes that include Highway 224 and Eagle Creek Road; drivers have reported motorists passing stopped buses and speeders near the high school during passing periods. She said crossing guards are staffed by district employees and that the district does not currently use volunteer crossing patrols. Mike Ware and John Simpson were identified by staff as district contacts for facility and transportation questions.
City staff and the committee agreed to schedule follow-up meetings with the district’s superintendent, Ryan Carpenter, and district safety staff to assign priorities, gather cost estimates and pursue funding or matching grants. The committee asked staff to return with specific budget and scheduling information so council can consider projects during the spring budget cycle.
Committee members emphasized outreach and immediate, low-cost steps such as portable driver-feedback speed signs and targeted enforcement to improve visibility while longer-term engineering and grant-funded solutions are pursued.
