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Traffic study finds human behavior and crossing-guard inefficiencies behind Milpitas High congestion
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Summary
A recent traffic study along Escuela Parkway and Washington Street concluded human behavior and crossing-guard inconsistencies, not street geometry alone, are the main causes of peak congestion; staff recommended near-term outreach, crossing-guard training and minor circulation changes before larger infrastructure options.
Staff summarized a consultant's traffic study for the Escuela Parkway corridor that focused on congestion around Milpitas High and adjacent schools. The consultant identified human factors—6inconsistent crossing-guard operations and parents using non-designated drop-off areas—as primary contributors to the morning and afternoon backups, rather than an immediately solvable infrastructure deficiency.
City Engineer Michael Svera and traffic staff described near-term mitigation strategies prioritized by the study: improved crossing-guard training to batch student crossings (reducing repeated short interruptions of traffic flow), public outreach and parent education (maps and communications through school channels), working with the school district on staggered bell times, and low-cost circulation changes where feasible. Staff estimated the consultant study cost at roughly $80,000 and said more substantial infrastructure solutions (additional lanes, new signals, or earthworks) would be expensive, complex and constrained by right-of-way, UPRR and Caltrans property.
Council members suggested enforcement, camera-based automated citations, and public-information campaigns timed before the school year to improve behavior. Staff said draft recommendations will be shared with the transportation subcommittee and the school district and further public outreach will follow once the city finalizes proposed improvements.
