Crossing guards and Safe Routes group present winter-safety maps; council pledges follow-up

At a Malden City Council meeting, crossing guards and Safe Malden Safe Streets and Massachusetts Safe Routes to School representatives presented new maps and winter-safety recommendations to protect students walking to school.

Gina Hayes, who introduced herself as a Malden crossing guard and last year’s Crossing Guard of the Year, said volunteers and staff mapped 48 crossing-guard locations and worked with DPW and facilities staff to make curb cuts and corners safer. "When the snow and ice come, no one seems to clear the corners," Hayes said, describing piled snow that can leave crosswalk buttons unreachable and noting that donated buckets of salt were stolen before they could be used.

A representative from Massachusetts Safe Routes to School highlighted successes in Malden — including Linden STEAM Academy’s MassDOT bike-rack grant and Salemwood School’s walking-school-bus maps scheduled for May — and told the council the program will share updated crossing-guard training materials with the Malden Police Department. The presenter said MassDOT sometimes redirects infrastructure grant applications to the Mass Trails program when that funding source is more appropriate.

Councilors asked how the Safe Routes program interfaces with other state grants and whether walk-to-school initiatives can be implemented district-wide rather than only at the invitation of a principal. The presenter said some applications can be redirected and that she has been in contact with Malden’s superintendent; she offered to follow up with an email and materials on best practices.

Councilors praised the grassroots partnership among crossing guards, volunteers, DPW, facilities and police. Councilor Winslow noted the city’s dedication to 48 crossing guards and said simple measures such as reflective gloves and prioritized clearing at curb cuts can change parents’ decisions about allowing children to walk to school. Councilor McDonald urged continued coordination with DPW and the traffic division to make the work sustainable.

Presenters and councilors flagged next steps: Mass Safe Routes will share training and policy materials with Malden police and staff, local advocates will continue mapping and working with DPW to deploy maps during storms, and council members asked staff to consider winter snow-removal policy adjustments that explicitly include crossing-guard curb cuts.

The presentation also promoted community events tied to walking and biking safety: Walk/Bike/Roll to School Day in early May and a Green Fair helmet giveaway, where organizers said roughly 350 helmets will be distributed.

The presentation ended with the council thanking the volunteers and staff; members asked advocates and staff to return with policy examples and implementation guidance for improving winter routes and crosswalk access.