Police, city staff propose crossing‑guard studies and parking changes at Arroyo Vista Elementary

Corporal Mike Sanchez told the Public Safety Commission on Sept. 23 that the department has conducted focused, high-visibility traffic enforcement at Arroyo Vista Elementary after the city began receiving complaints in April about drop‑off and pickup safety. Sanchez said the department has carried out eight dedicated traffic-enforcement operations at Arroyo Vista year-to-date and noted that the average for the program’s months is about nine operations; July had only three because summer school was ending. Bassam Albetaway, the city’s transportation program manager, developed proposals intended to increase pedestrian safety around the school after meetings with the principal and parents. Recommended changes include revised traffic flows, “no left turn” restrictions where left turns created near misses and a proposal for limited “no stopping” hours on narrow streets so parked cars do not block travel lanes during school hours. Sanchez and Albetaway described the study process and next steps: staff will meet with the middle and high schools, then the city will hire an outside contractor to perform pedestrian and vehicle counts and apply standard engineering guidance to recommend where crossing guards, stop signs or other controls are warranted. Sanchez said that if the study does not recommend a crossing guard, the city council retains discretion to place one anyway, as it did previously at Marengo and Huntington. Commissioners asked about crossing‑guard schedules and costs. Sanchez said crossing guards are typically on duty 45 minutes before school starts and about 30 minutes after dismissal and that extending hours is possible but increases cost; he gave a figure of “approximately $50,000 a year per crossing guard for the current contract.” Council member Omari Ferguson and commissioners also asked about bicycle safety for high-school students. Sanchez said the department receives an annual grant from the California Office of Traffic Safety and that bicycle safety education (often delivered in May) can be scheduled for schools that request presentations. No formal action was taken. Staff said Bassam will compile the school assessments and the outside study’s results will be presented to city council for any policy or budget decisions.