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Sherwood officials review school crossing assessment proposing RRFBs, refuge islands and parking‑lot changes
Summary
Consultants recommended pedestrian refuge islands, rectangular rapid‑flashing beacons (RRFBs), ADA curb ramps and on‑site restriping at three elementary schools; planning‑level costs range from about $90,000 to $200,000 per crossing and recommendations will be folded into the Transportation System Plan for prioritization and grant pursuit.
Consultants presenting to the Sherwood City Council work session on Sept. 16 recommended a package of mid‑block crossings, refuge islands, push‑button rectangular rapid‑flashing beacons (RRFBs) and on‑site restriping to improve safety at Archer Glen, Hawkesview and Ridges elementary schools.
Joy Chang, the project manager, said the study built on previous Safe Routes work and focused on the health of school crossings. "We conducted a walk audit at each of the 3 schools on May 6," said Nick Gross of Kittelson and Associates, who led the technical review and described field observations and crash history analyses using the most recent five years of ODOT crash data (through 2023).
The Archer Glen recommendations include a pedestrian refuge island and an RRFB at an existing marked crosswalk, internal parking lot restriping to create dedicated walk aisles and new ADA‑compliant curb ramps. Gross provided planning‑level estimates of roughly $200,000 for a mid‑block crossing and about $116,000 for on‑site restriping and ramp work.
At Hawkesview, the team documented outdated flashing beacons, multiple turning conflicts at driveways and nine pedestrian/bicycle crashes in the broader walk zone, including two serious injuries and one fatality within the walk zone. Proposed near‑term work includes replacing old flashing beacons with push‑activated RRFBs, constructing more substantial refuge islands, installing curb extensions and adding a raised crosswalk at a southern driveway; staff recommended a longer‑term intersection control study at 3rd Pine and Sherwood Boulevard.
Ridges Elementary’s critical crossing at Edie Road (a county‑owned, 40 mph arterial operating within a 20 mph school speed zone) is wide — about 40 feet and skewed — and showed recurring speeding and low compliance with crossing guards. The near‑term recommendation is an RRFB and temporary curb extensions or deflection; a refuge island in the center lane was recommended as a long‑term treatment once Edie is widened to three lanes. Planning‑level cost for that crossing was presented at about $90,000.
Presenters explained how warrants and counts determine treatment level and noted cost differences: RRFBs are typically $50,000–$100,000 while pedestrian hybrid beacons (PHBs) are substantially more expensive (presenters said PHBs often cost four to six times as much as RRFBs). The team recommended finalizing the report, incorporating the conceptual treatments into the Transportation System Plan (TSP) pedestrian inventory and using that document to help prioritize projects for the five‑year CIP and grant applications.
Councilors asked about grant eligibility and coordination with the school district. Brady Estrus, chief operations officer for Sherwood School District, confirmed district staff and crossing guards participated fully in the walk audits. Council members also emphasized preserving an existing crossing at the former administration office because the building could return to school use.
The consultants and staff will finalize the report based on council and traffic safety board input and return with refined cost estimates and prioritization steps. The TSP update and the city’s CIP will be used to phase work and pursue funding opportunities.
