School Safety Memo

By Jay Strauss

Safety memo regarding dangerous traffic conditions around Lafayette schools.

TO: LAFAYETTE TRAFFIC COMMISSION

FROM: JAY RICHARD STRAUSS

RE: HAZARDS AT PLEASANT HILL/SPRINGHILL/QUANDT INTERSECTION

DATE: APRIL 20, 1992

At Sue Jones' request, I observed the functioning of the school crossing guards at the Pleasant Hill/Springhill/Quandt intersection. The crossing guards, Wilene and Austin Reid, had complained that the "Go" segment of the pedestrian crossing phase (which allows crossing Pleasant Hill Road) had been shortened from 13 seconds to 8 seconds, thereby creating a hazard for them and for children using the crosswalk.

I verified the Reid's observation that the pedestrian phase is too short and identified a number of other conditions at this intersection which, in my view, render it unreasonably and unacceptably unsafe for pedestrians, most of whom are elementary school children.

The need for improvements at this intersection has been considered and debated for many years. Lynn Hiden has provided me with copies of her files, including the Pleasant Hill Road Study dated July 23, 1986 by Chuck DeLeuw, then with DKS. Unfortunately, safety issues seem to have been overwhelmed by local opposition to the widening of Pleasant Hill Road and resistance to placement of a stop sign at the free right turn/merge lane from Springhill onto southbound Pleasant Hill.

This memo focuses only on safety related concerns, which seem so compelling that they ought and must be considered independent of the larger, more complex and highly political issues of traffic management along the Pleasant Hill Road corridor.

The recommendations are:

1. Increase pedestrian crossing time.

The school guards cross between 60-100 children in the morning and an equal number in the afternoon. Most of the crossings are east/west across Pleasant Hill, but there are substantial numbers of south/north crossings on both sides of Pleasant Hill Road. The pedestrian crossing light is timed so that the "GO" sequence is approximately 8 seconds, after which the flashing hand appears. The light actually turns red after about 30 seconds.

The problem is that the children do not complete the crossing in 8 seconds. In the peak a.m. period, drivers turning left from Quandt onto Pleasant Hill going south, and directly into the path of children who have not completed the crossing (see drawing) , are impatient to make the turn because of the long sequence (1 1/2 minutes) before they have another green light. Those drivers become more impatient when the flashing red hand appears after 8 seconds.

Some of the children are quite young, and are prone to drop things and sometimes trip as they cross. While these particular conflicts may not be life threatening because of the low speeds, they are unnerving to the crossing guards and probably to the children.

The solution is to increase the GO sequence of the pedestrian segment. I spoke with Mark Lander who says that lengthening the entire crossing sequence would require expensive timing coordination with other signals at Deerhill and Reliez Valley. This needs to be explored further with Mark to determine the cost of any project and with Chuck DeLeuw to determine the impact that a longer pedestrian crossing would have on peak hour traffic. Mark should consider the possibility of increasing the Go portion of the pedestrian phase (8 seconds) without increasing the overall segment (30 seconds). In other words, children can cross in say 20 seconds, so the flashing stop may be unnecessarily long.

2. Elimination of traffic islands.

The three traffic islands have the effect of bringing large nuLnbers of small children into close Proximity with high speed traffic and are inherently dangerous. The traffic light standards are located on these islands, which may have been their original purpose. Now, however, they serve as temporary resting places in the segmented journey across Pleasant Hill Road. For example, a child walking south along the east side of Pleasant Hill has first to cross out to the island in the northeast corner presumably under the supervision of one of the 3 crossing guards. Second, that child crosses from island #2 to island #3 in the southeast corner to await the pedestrian phase which allows the crossing of Pleasant Hill Road. In the 1 1/2 minutes between crossing sequences, children tend to collect on island #3. 1 observed as many as 12 jostling children, some with bicycles and roller blades, crowding onto this small (roughly 15 X 15 X 20) island at one time. While they wait to cross, cars whiz by northbound on Pleasant Hill Road at speeds estimated at up to 50 m.p.h. (the street is posted 35 m.p.h.). Collision statistics provided by Juliet Shanks show that there have been 28 accidents at this intersection since 1987. An accident involving an out of control vehicle on a rainy morning with a dozen children standing on a small unprotected island which projects out into the road is horrible to contemplate.

The best solution, from a safety point of view, would be a pedestrian overpass. Although this is unsightly, expensive and probably politically unpopular, it is the best way of getting children away from the traffic. A less expensive alternative would be to eliminate the islands and free right turn lanes to make a standard 4-corner intersection. This would have substantial traffic impacts that need to be analyzed.

3. Reduced Speed Limits.

Pleasant Hill is posted at 35 m.p.h. We should consider reducing speed limits during school hours and communicating those reduced limits by large signs with flashing caution lights to get the attention of otherwise high speed travelers. Limits would need to be reduced only during a.m. and p.m. school crossing periods.

4. School Zone Signs.

Incredibly, there are no school zone or school crossing signs posted along either the north or south bound Pleasant Hill Road approaches to the intersection. There are bike trail signs in both directions, but nothing to warn drivers that large numbers of small children are present. What is the rationale?

5. Stop Sign at Free Right Turn Lane, Springhill South Bound into Pleasant Hill.

This concept is extremely unpopular with local residents. My understanding is that the Traffic Commission had, in 1988, approved a stop sign but held it in abeyance pending the results of "educative" efforts directed at free right turners. The problem is that drivers who want to merge into southbound Pleasant Hill traffic have to accelerate rapidly because the Pleasant Hill traffic is going fast when it is not congested and there is a relatively short merge distance. Drivers who are merging need to look back over their shoulders to the left and away from children who may be crossing from the right.

We have previously discussed the possibilities of using flip-up or temporary stop signs that could be activated or put in place by the crossing guards, or someone at the school, only when children are likely to be present. We should consider this solution for this intersection.

6. Keep clear signs.

The problems at the crosswalks are further exacerbated when the sheer volume of traffic on Pleasant Hill Road causes blockage at the intersection. When that happens, drivers turning onto Pleasant Hill from Quandt or Springhill have an even greater sense of urgency as they try to move into the flow and "make" the light. Accordingly, "Keep Clear" signs should be painted in the intersections to reduce gridlocking and large overhead signs should be considered. on a rainy morning I observed children and crossing guards weaving around cars which had blocked the intersection and crosswalk. This is extremely dangerous.

7. Additional Crossing Guards.

The Reids do a terrific job shuttling impatient children back and forth. only one of them is present in the afternoon when school lets out. They need help in the morning and the afternoon. The school should consider a program of auxiliary student crossing guards to assist the Reids. Posting one student guard at each of the free right turn lanes (in the northeast and southwest corners) would alert drivers using the free right turn lanes and relieve the adult crossing guards of the need to monitor those segments of the crossing. Because the intersection is so dangerous, student crossing guards should not.be on the islands or actually crossing the street, but should be stationed at the corners.

CC: (w/encl.)

Mark Lander
Chuck DeLeuw
Austin & Wilene Reid
Bruce Wodhams
Marie Alvarez