Kittelson study recommends mid-block crossings and infrastructure upgrades at three elementary schools; council work session set for Sept. 16

City staff and consultants from Kittelson and Associates presented a Sherwood School Zone Crossing Assessment that evaluated three elementary schools and identified site- and right-of-way improvements to address pedestrian safety, student drop-off conflicts and lighting or visibility deficiencies. The consultant recommended a mix of on-site circulation changes (school-district responsibility) and in-right-of-way improvements (city responsibility) including mid-block crossings with pedestrian refuge islands, rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFBs), ADA-compliant curb ramps, upgraded crosswalk markings, improved lighting and selective curb extensions.

The consultant said Middleton Elementary had already undergone a separate Safe Routes to School action plan and was not included in this brief. The three schools evaluated in this study (reported in the presentation as Archer Glen, Hawkesview and Ridges) each had distinct issues: high pedestrian volumes and driveway conflicts at one; an outdated half-signal and nine pedestrian/cyclist crashes (including serious injuries) near another; and sight-line and parking-related mid-block crossings at the third. Kittelson’s team performed background reviews, on-site audits (walk audits conducted in May), and coordination with principals and the school district to develop conceptual treatments and planning-level cost estimates.

Recommended near-term and conceptual measures included: adding mid-block crossings with refuge islands and RRFBs at key crossing locations; creating a five-foot walking aisle and delineated drop-off circulation within school parking lots; installing raised crosswalks across school driveways; upgrading sidewalks and curb ramps to ADA standards; improving nighttime lighting at certain intersections; and removing or remediating vegetation that obstructs traffic-control devices. The consultant emphasized that RRFBs are common, relatively low-cost options (planning-level range cited in the study) while pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHBs, sometimes called HAWK signals) are less common in Oregon and cost substantially more; the presentation noted PHBs typically cost many times more than RRFB treatments and should be reserved for higher warrants.

Kittelson supplied planning-level cost estimates and noted that the study does not identify construction funding; on-site changes would be the school district’s responsibility and any public-right-of-way work would require city capital funding or grants. Staff said the study will be presented to City Council at a work session on Sept. 16; the consultant and staff will circulate the technical reports to the traffic committee and accept comment in advance of the work session. Committee members asked for additional public outreach and noted the value of publishing the site reports to help with grant applications. Members also asked the city to clarify which measures would be implemented by the district and which would be city work, and staff said they will invite school-district representatives to the Council work session.

Ending: The study provides a prioritized list of conceptual improvements to be folded into the city’s Transportation System Plan and to support grant applications; committee members asked staff to circulate the full school-by-school reports and accept comments ahead of the Sept. 16 City Council work session.