Jurupa Valley council seeks joint work session with school board, forms ad hoc to study traffic and pedestrian safety around schools

After a staff briefing on sidewalk and Safe Routes‑to‑School projects, the Jurupa Valley City Council on Sept. 18 asked staff to schedule a joint work session with the Jurupa Unified School District and signaled support for an ad hoc committee to study traffic, pick‑up/drop‑off and pedestrian safety at individual schools.

Public Works Director and City Engineer Paul Torr presented the city’s school‑area capital plan and maintenance work. Torr said the city is pursuing multiple state and regional grant applications that target sidewalks, curb ramps and crosswalks around several schools — including Mission Bell, Miraloma, Pedley Elementary, Harupa Middle and Ruby High School — and that two of the projects are expected to go to bid before year’s end. He emphasized the grant process is competitive and scoring favors projects with clear connectivity to neighborhoods and transit.

Council members and the city manager discussed recurring traffic problems during school drop‑off and pick‑up. Council member Carmona and others noted that many schools have underutilized campus entrances or bus loops that could be used more efficiently, and that the root cause of congestion is the high number of parents driving to campuses. Council member Chris and others said while sidewalks and connectivity are valuable, they do not solve congestion where curb space and queuing are the constraints.

City Manager Rod Butler and Public Works staff proposed a two‑step approach: (1) invite the school district and school board to a joint study session to discuss district operations and expected constraints; and (2) form a limited ad hoc committee with two council members and two school board members plus staff and a sheriff’s traffic representative to inspect and develop school‑by‑school solutions. The council agreed by consensus and asked staff to begin coordination with the district. Torr said staff will start stakeholder outreach and schedule community meetings for projects once funding is secured.

The council also heard that many improvements — striping, signage and curb modifications — are maintenance items the city can implement, while larger changes may require school‑district cooperation and capital funding. Council members asked staff to prioritize high‑use schools and to bring back an initial schedule of schools for review.