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Council hears Safe Routes update; staff to study crossings and sidewalks in Sunset neighborhood
Summary
City staff, the school district and police detailed Safe Routes to School priorities for Sunset Elementary, noting 17 recommended projects (15 sidewalks) from a 2019 study and limited remaining local funds; staff will collect data, study intersections and return recommendations next year.
West Linn — City staff, the school district and police department presented a Safe Routes to School briefing on Nov. 4 focused on Sunset Elementary, outlining project priorities, funding history and next steps for design and study.
Eric (city staff) said the 2019 DKS evaluation identified 17 projects for the Sunset neighborhood—15 sidewalk projects and two signing/striping items—and that the study’s 59 projects across six schools totaled about $14.4 million in 2019 dollars. He noted that a 2018 voter‑approved $20 million general‑obligation bond dedicated $1 million to safe‑routes projects, and a March 2022 council allocation raised the total to about $1,745,000. To date, staff said about $1.2 million has been spent and roughly $500,000 remains allocated for additional projects and designs.
Jeremy Nichols, the school district’s safety and transportation supervisor, said walking boundaries were reassessed before the 2023–24 school year and described how bus stops and walking boundaries are assigned. "Our walking boundaries got, reassessed before last school year," Nichols said, noting families can use different stops if convenient for them and that the district maps existing stops.
Staff outlined short‑ and long‑term steps: immediate low‑cost measures such as signage and striping where appropriate, a consultant‑led traffic study to collect volumes and pedestrian crossing data, and targeted design work (for example, a Bittner‑Long sidewalk design that is about half complete). Staff cautioned that adding crosswalk paint without landing areas or ADA ramps can be poor practice; more significant interventions—such as RRFBs or curb/full sidewalks—entail much higher costs.
Councilors and residents pressed staff on specific requests, including a crosswalk across Sunset and sidewalks on Cornwall to Oxford; staff said those requests overlap with the DKS priority list and that consultants will advise which intersections provide the best safety returns. Council and staff directed staff to provide data and return with recommendations after the consultant’s study, expected after the new year.
Police representatives said the department has been active in walking routes, conducting surveys and using mobile radar; the department said it will continue to coordinate on signage and patrols.
