Committee hears crosswalk safety update; crossing-guard pay runs through police budget

The Middleton Ped, Bike & Transit Committee on May 9 was told that funding for a proposed crossing guard at Park Street and Brookdale is administered through the city police department, not the school district, and therefore must be pursued in the city budget process.

A committee member reported that Dale, the committee's school-district representative, had followed up with district administration and shared that the school district hires and pays crossing guards but is reimbursed and dependent on police-department approval of the number of positions. The committee agreed to raise the funding request with alder members during upcoming council budget discussions.

Committee members also said they will pursue a parallel engineering option: following up with public works staff to evaluate a curb-extension at the crossing to improve pedestrian sight lines and shorten crossing distance. That concept was described as a committee priority alongside staffing options.

Why it matters: Crossing guards and curb extensions are two different approaches to improving safety at frequently used school crossings. Securing a guard requires budget approval and police-department authorization, while a curb-extension requires public-works design and likely capital funding or a grant.

Next steps: Committee members said they will present the funding request to the council as part of next year's budget discussions and coordinate with public works on the curb-extension feasibility. No formal motion or vote took place at the meeting.