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Senate amends school-crossing bill to keep 30‑minute default and allow localities to extend hours by ordinance
Summary
Senate Transportation Committee kept the 30-minute default for school crossing zone enforcement but adopted an amendment letting localities extend to 60 minutes by ordinance; VDOT and local safety advocates said increased flexibility supports Vision Zero goals.
Senator Jones presented SB 221, seeking a 60‑minute standard for school crossing zones to better capture before‑and‑after traffic associated with busing, staff and after‑school activities. After questions from colleagues about variability across urban and rural localities, the committee adopted a compromise: the bill will keep a 30‑minute default while allowing localities to extend enforcement to 60 minutes by local ordinance and post signage to notify motorists.
VDOT testified it had no formal position but described existing processes for exceptional local adjustments. Ruth Morrison of the City of Richmond said her city's Safe Routes to School and Vision Zero programs supported the increased local flexibility. The Virginia Bicycling Federation and retired educators also endorsed the change as a safety improvement for high‑pedestrian corridors.
Several senators urged caution about mandating a one‑size‑fits‑all solution. Senator Roem proposed making an extension a local option and requiring conspicuous posting when localities do so; the committee adopted language to that effect.
Outcome: Committee adopted a substitute amendment to preserve local discretion and voted to report the bill to finance and the floor for further action.
