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Millis board hears residents and police chief on crossing‑guard coverage; auto crosswalks remain primary strategy
Summary
After resident concerns about pedestrian safety, the police chief described the town’s move toward automated crosswalk signals, citing staffing shortages and budget constraints for reintroducing paid crossing guards; residents urged continued efforts to find human crossing coverage.
The Select Board heard extended discussion and public comment on school crossing guards and pedestrian safety on June 9.
Chief Safire (police chief) explained why the town has relied on automated crosswalk signals and installed additional devices over recent years. He said attempts to recruit paid crossing guards produced few reliable applicants and that an automated system provides 24/7 pedestrian protection. The chief told the board the town currently lacks a budget item for crossing guards and estimated reinstating a full complement of guards would cost in the range of $60,000–$80,000 annually.
A resident, Caitlin Bixby (7 Tuckerdale Way), addressed the board during public comment and urged the town not to treat the absence of crossing guards as permanent. She suggested exploring options such as asking paraeducators who are already on site at schools to extend hours to provide crossing support. "It feels defeatist to say then we'll stop looking forever," she said. Another resident recounted vehicles running lights in front of Town Hall and urged continued attention to enforcement and traffic devices.
The chief acknowledged automated crosswalks are not a perfect substitute for human crossing guards—he noted instances of pedestrians not using crosswalks and drivers failing to stop—but said they were the most reliable, always‑on safety measure the town could deploy given limited applicants and budget. He also noted the town uses portable speed/count devices and traffic enforcement grants for targeted enforcement and can deploy officers to problem locations upon request via the department’s traffic request process.
Why it matters: Parents and residents said crossing guards are central to plans to allow older children more independent mobility; police said reliable staffing and budget are barriers, while technology and enforcement are being used to mitigate safety gaps.
Outcome: No vote was taken; board members asked staff to consult with the school committee about whether paras or extended‑day staff might supply a pool of reliable applicants and to consider targeted enforcement or traffic‑data collection at specific intersections if complaints continue.
