MANUAL FOR SCHOOL CROSSING CONTROL FOREWARD Pedestrian safety depends in large measure upon public understanding of accepted methods for efficient traffic control. This principle is never more important than in the control of pedestrians and vehicles in the vicinity of schools. Neither school children nor motorists can be expected to move safely in school zones unless they understand both the need for traffic controls and the ways in which these controls function for their benefit. A school pedestrian safety program must be more than the arbitrary assignment of a crossing guard or the installation of a traffic signal at a busy crossing. It must be a balanced program of three elements: education, enforcement, and engineering. This manual has been prepared as a guide for principals and School Safety Chairpersons. The manual is a compilation of the policies and practices which have been proven effective in the solution of Des Moines Public Schools pedestrian problems. These policies and practices have been patterned after nationally-accepted standards. A great deal of the text of this manual is taken directly from a Guide to a School Pedestrian Safety Program. The following organizations participated in developing this guide: 1
American Automobile Association Automotive Safety Foundation Commission on Safety Education, National Education Association International Association of Chiefs of Police National Congress of Parents and Teachers National Joint Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices National Safety Council United States Office of Education 2
SCHOOL CROSSING PROTECTION An effective program for pedestrian protection at school crossings depends on uniformity in the use of signs, signals, pavement markings, school safety patrols, and adult guards. Uniformity is based on the use of nationally-accepted standards which are applied only where traffic engineering studies show a need which warrants specific control. The Traffic and Transportation Division of the City of Des Moines Engineering Department is responsible for conducting traffic engineering studies to determine the needs for traffic control measures at school crossings. The Des Moines City Council formed the Des Moines Traffic Safety Committee for the purpose of reviewing the studies made by the Traffic and Transportation Division and submitting recommendations as a result of their review. The Des Moines Traffic Safety Committee is composed of citizens who, through their employment or public service, have demonstrated knowledge in the traffic safety field. The Committee membership represents a broad spectrum of business and government activities. Ex-officio members of the Committee represent the Des Moines Public Schools, Parent- Teachers Association, Police Department, and Traffic and Transportation Division. 3
1997 DES MOINES TRAFFIC SAFETY COMMITTEE Chairperson - James H. Windsor III - Retired Reita Dumas - Retired Daniel Kealy - Larson Watson Bartling & Eastman L.L.P. Joseph Lakers - Retired George W. Robinson - Semi-Retired Johanna Schmitt - Farm Bureau Insurance Harry Jack Sink - Sink Paper Company Marian Thomas - Vocational Rehabilitation Ex-Officio Members Vice Chairperson - Andy Danilson - PTA Council Sgt. Chan Wallace - Police Department Ron Bowers - Des Moines Public Schools Gary Fox - City Traffic Engineer 4
WHO IS RESPONSIBLE Learning to live in today s traffic environment is a serious business. Children face a variety of complex traffic situations everyday. Where should they walk along the streets without sidewalks? How should they cross a street safely? Children must know how to cope with these and many other traffic problems if they are to become self-reliant and safe pedestrians. The responsibility to provide safe walking conditions and to develop self-reliance and safe habits among children is shared by parents, school authorities, government agencies and officials, and the children themselves. The basic responsibility for the safety of children walking to and from school rests with the parents. School and traffic officials work to provide the necessary learning experience and traffic controls, but without the full cooperation of the parents the program will be inadequate. Parents are obligated to understand traffic regulations and control measures and to make sure their children also understand them. Only parents can give preschool children the necessary instruction in safe pedestrian practices. By precept and example, parents are the greatest single influence in the children s development as safe and self-reliant pedestrians. Poor parental example and lack of supervision can defeat the positive efforts of others to provide for a child s safety. 5
School boards establish, and school administrative personnel implement, the policies which provide traffic safety education in the classroom and other learning experiences. These policies also provide for necessary school administrative measures to help assure safety for young pedestrians. State legislatures and local governments hold the responsibility to enact the laws and regulations which provide for the necessary control and protection of pedestrians. Operating within these laws and regulations, traffic engineers utilize traffic signs, signals, and pavement markings to provide safe pedestrian movement. The enforcement of traffic laws and the supervision of traffic are police responsibilities. Children must apply what they learn. An important part of the school s safety education program is providing children with opportunities to help plan their own practical applications in this vital area of learning. Beyond this, pupils need the challenge of practice guided by adults. These responsibilities can be met with the implementation of a sound, balanced school pedestrian safety program. The program involves all concerned groups and individuals so that they can work together effectively. With this responsibility shared, Des Moines will continue to make progress toward pedestrian safety for all children. 6
THE ROUTE TO SCHOOL One of the most important parts of a school crossing program is the development of a school route map for each elementary school. This map will show the location of all approved school crossings, the type and location of school crossing control devices, and the locations where adult crossing guards or school safety patrols are stationed. Upon request of the School Safety Chairperson and the School Principal, the staff of the Traffic and Transportation Division will develop the initial school route map for each elementary school. The physical characteristics and traffic conditions that affect pedestrian safety along the route must be considered when preparing maps. Whenever possible routes should converge at a single crossing point, preferably a location already equipped with traffic controls. Maximum protection for children at minimum cost to the community is the guiding principle in the preparation of school route maps. Typical consideration in selecting crossing points include the following: Children should be instructed to follow the approved routes and to avoid crossing streets at many different intersections. This may require some children to walk longer distances. Nevertheless, it is safer for children to cross at a single well-controlled intersection than to use scattered crossing points. A worthwhile school route program cannot be a do it and forget it operation. School route planning should be reviewed each year to determine if changes are required as a result of shifts in attendance areas or traffic patterns. The School Safety Chairperson and the School Principal in each school should encourage parents to inspect routes periodically to determine how well their children are following them. In addition, a periodic inspection should be made of traffic control devices and markings on the school routes. Any damaged or deteriorated devices or markings should be reported by phone to the Traffic and Transportation Division at 283-4973. Availability of sidewalks - Streets without sidewalks should be used only when necessary. Visibility at street crossing - Parking controls may be needed to permit adequate visibility. Heavy traffic over sidewalks from alleys and driveways - Streets with frequent conflicts between pedestrians and vehicles should be avoided whenever possible. 7
SUBMITTING A REQUEST FOR A SCHOOL CROSSING STUDY The Des Moines Traffic Safety Committee has established a policy that all requests for consideration of school crossing controls must be submitted in writing to the Traffic and Transportation Division through the School Principal and the School Safety Chairperson. All requests thus received will be studied by the Division and acted upon accordingly. The applicant will be kept informed of the results of the study. If the applicants do not agree with the recommendations of the Traffic and Transportation Division, the applicants will be given an opportunity to appear before the Traffic Safety Committee after completion of the necessary studies. 8
ESTABLISHING SCHOOL CROSSING CONTROLS All recommendations for the installation of school crossing controls must follow sound policies based on nationally-accepted principles. The most important policy is the one controlling uniformity in design and application of traffic control devices. Uniform standards for all traffic control devices - signs, signals, and pavement marking - are set forth in the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for the State of Iowa. Section 321.255 of the Code of Iowa specifies that all traffic control devices hereafter erected shall conform to the state manual and specifications. The Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices in Part VII, Traffic Controls for School Areas, presents a very good description of the need for standards in considering requests for school crossing controls. Traffic control in school areas is a highly sensitive subject. If all the demands of parents and others were met, there would have to be many more police and adult guards for school duty; and many more traffic signals, signs and markings. Such demands, however, are not always in line with actual needs. Analyses often show that at many locations, school crossing controls requested by parents, teachers, and other citizens are unnecessary and costly and tend to lessen the respect for controls that are warranted. It is therefore important to stress the point that regardless of the school location, safe and effective traffic control can best be obtained through the uniform application of realistic policies, practices and standards developed through engineering studies. Non-uniform procedures and devices cause confusion among pedestrians and vehicle operators, prompt wrong decisions, and can contribute to accidents. In order to achieve uniformity of traffic control in school areas, comparable traffic situations must be treated in the same manner. The type of school area traffic control used, either warning or regulatory, must be related to the volume and speed of traffic, street width and the number of children crossing. For this reason, the traffic controls necessary in a school area located on a major highway would not be needed on a residential street away from heavy traffic. Yet, the important point to be made is that a uniform approach to school area traffic controls must be developed to assure the use of similar controls for similar situations (which promotes uniform behavior on the part of vehicle operators and pedestrians). Therefore, it is the policy of the Des Moines Traffic Safety Committee to recommend the installation of traffic control devices only when the applicable minimum warrant for the installation of such device is fully met. 9
The following sections of this manual list the minimum warrants which qualify a location for the installation of school crossing control devices. These warrants were established after considerable study was made at over 250 existing school crossings. Gap studies were made, speed limits were reviewed, type and number of vehicles using the streets and number of children were counted in order to develop these warrants for use on City streets in Des Moines. 10
GENERAL RULES FOR THE SCHOOL CROSSING CONTROL PROGRAM 1. In accord with federally-adopted standards, roll out stop signs shall not be used to control traffic. 7. The training and supervision of the adult crossing guards shall be under the jurisdiction of the Des Moines Police Department. 2. All crossings are to be marked and signed in accordance with the provision of the Iowa Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices for Streets and Highways. 3. Elementary-age students shall be considered as children for the purpose of applying the rules and warrants as set forth in this manual. School pedestrian problems involving secondary students will be handled on an individual basis and, for the purpose of these studies, secondary students will be considered as adults. 4. Additional school crossing signals or stop signs shall not be considered for installation within 400 feet of an existing traffic signal or stop sign. 5. Existing school crossing within 400 feet of adult supervised crossings shall be eliminated and no additional crossing installed. 6. The salaries of adult crossing guards shall be paid in accord with the existing agreement between the City of Des Moines and the Des Moines Public Schools. All other costs of the school crossing protection program are to be paid by the City of Des Moines. 11
SCHOOL CROSSING CONTROL WARRANTS I. Painted Crosswalks. II. All intersections included on the school route map where 25 or more children cross a minimum volume of 60 vehicles per hour during a crossing period shall have painted crosswalks. School crossing warning signs are to be installed at such locations in accord with the Iowa Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. School Speed Limit Flashing Signals. Twenty-five mph School Speed Limit Flashing Signals are warranted on collector or arterial streets within established school districts (defined by City Code to be the territory contiguous and including a highway for a distance of 200 feet in either direction of a schoolhouse) adjacent to elementary and middle schools where the speed limit on the street is greater than 25 mph immediately outside the school district. The hours of operation for the 25 mph School Speed Limit Flashing Signals are established by resolution of the Des Moines City Council based upon recommendation of the Traffic Safety Committee, and should be reviewed annually by Traffic and Transportation Division staff and the school principals. The hours of operation should cover periods of increased school crossing activity, such as morning, noon, and afternoon crossing period, but should remain limited so that overuse of the flashing signals will not weaken their effectiveness, particularly during peak-hour traffic periods. III. IV. Stop Signs. When a free-flowing volume of traffic across a painted crosswalk exceeds 250 vehicles per hour during any crossing period, a stop sign shall be installed. Traffic Signals. Traffic control signals with pedestrian control features shall be installed in accordance with the following provisions: A. At any painted school crosswalk on a full four-lane divided or undivided through street. B. At any painted school crosswalk on a through street where the traffic volume exceeds 500 vehicles per hour during any crossing period. Traffic control signals with pedestrian control features may be installed based on an engineering study in accordance with the following provisions: C. At any painted school crosswalk where the placement of a stop sign as provided in Section II above has created a multi-way STOP condition and where said stop sign could be replaced by a mid-block traffic control signal location adjacent to the school property. 12
D. At any painted school crosswalk at a multi-way STOP where the traffic volumes exceed the minimum traffic volume warrant for a multi-way STOP as contained in the Iowa Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices. NOTE: Installation of warranted traffic control signals will be completed as soon as possible after approval by the City Council and after appropriation of the necessary funds. V. Adult Crossing Guards. Adult crossing guards shall be assigned to assist children using a painted crosswalk where special conditions exist that can be properly handled only by an adult. The existence of these special conditions shall be acknowledged and an adult guard assigned at locations where the following exist: A. A minimum of five lanes of traffic must approach an intersection or four lanes of traffic must approach a mid-block crossing; and B. A minimum volume factor of 1,400* must exist. The volume factor shall be determined by adding the following items: 1. The volume of traffic crossing during a one-hour school crossing period, except in areas where the 85th percentile speed exceeds 30 miles per hour, the volume shall be increased by four percent for each mile per hour over 30. 2. Four times the number of three axle or larger vehicles crossing the crosswalk during the same school crossing period. 3. Four times the number of turning vehicles crossing the crosswalk during the same school period. 4. The volume of school children crossing in the crosswalk during the same school crossing period.* 5. For crosswalks over 70 feet in length, the volume factor determined by adding items one through four above shall be increased by one percent for each foot in length over 70 feet. C. For a painted crosswalk within the boundaries of an elementary school with an enrollment of Kindergarten through Second Grade (K-2) only, a minimum volume factor of 1,000** must exist. The volume factor shall be determined as in Section B. above. D. At the beginning of each school year, the following procedure is used for each location where an adult school crossing guard is assigned to determine whether the guard will cover all three crossing periods, or only the morning and afternoon periods. 13
1. First Week of School: Let crossing activity normalize. 2. Second - Third Weeks: Daily count of number of students crossing at noon period (by crossing guard, with verification by Traffic and Transportation and/or school). 3. Fourth Week: Make decision on noon crossing period with each school Principal.*** 4. Beginning of Fifth Week: Crossing guard removed for noon period only as determined above. 5. After Fifth Week: School Principal will notify Traffic and Transportation of any changes in enrollment that will affect the noon crossing activity. Traffic and Transportation will reevaluate the location and make decision on the noon crossing period with the school Principal.*** * At any location where the volume factor exceeds 1,400, the minimum number of school children required for a painted crosswalk may be reduced by one for every 50 points over 1,400. However, painted crosswalks will not be considered where the number of school children is less than 15; or 14
** At any location where the volume factor exceeds 1,000, the minimum number of school children required for a painted crosswalk may be reduced by one for every 50 points over 1,000. However, painted crosswalks will not be considered where the number of school children is less than 15. *** If ONE or more children cross unattended during the noon crossing period, the guard will be assigned to the noon period. If no children cross unattended, the guard will not be assigned for the noon period, but will remain for the morning and afternoon crossing periods. NOTE: If two intersection crosswalks which are not adjacent (i.e., on opposite sides of the intersection) both meet the above conditions, two adult crossing guards shall be assigned, one for each opposite crosswalk. For additional marked or unmarked crosswalks at an intersection where an adult crossing guard is assigned, the guard will assist children crossing in these crosswalks to the extent practical for the conditions at that intersection, but an additional guard will NOT be considered for any crosswalk which does not meet the minimum volume factor. 15
STUDENT SAFETY PATROL PROGRAM The responsibility for the safety of the children walking to and from school rests with parents. The Des Moines Public Schools is interested in providing student assistance for children crossing streets contiguous to school property through the Student Safety Patrol Program. A student patrol is organized at a school when there is sufficient parental and student interest to support a Student Safety Patrol Program. Documentation of efforts to form a Student Safety Patrol Program will need to be recorded. I. Guidelines for Student Safety Patrol Program within the Des Moines Public Schools are: A. The building principal or his/her designee will be responsible for the Student Safety Patrol Program. B. The Student Safety Patrol Program will be supervised by the principal or his/her designee while students are performing their patrol duties. C. Student safety patrol may be assigned to crossing locations as designated on school route maps that are contiguous to school building. D. Eligibility for Student Safety Patrol Program: 1. Fifth grade students who pass written and/or oral student safety patrol test. 2. Fourth grade students will not be used for the Student Safety Patrol Program. II. III. 3. Fourth grade students that qualify for the Student Safety Patrol Program the following year will receive a two-week training session at the end of the school year. E. Principals may survey students each year and may establish a safety patrol program if there is sufficient student/parent interest. F. Written permission should be obtained from parents of student patrol members before they can take part in the Student Safety Patrol Program. G. Student patrols may be scheduled to assist other students in designated crossing areas for a 15-minute period during arrival and dismissal times. H. The Student Safety Patrol Program must maintain enough active student members to ensure replacements for patrol station in case of student patrol member absences. (The minimum number of students necessary to run an adequate patrol will include one reserve for every two patrol stations.) The Student Safety Patrol Program will not exist in those schools that do not have a fifth grade population of students. (Example: K-2 schools.) Should available student safety patrol members drop below the required number during the school year, the student safety patrol will be disbanded for the remainder of that school year. 16
IV. When the Student Safety Patrol Program is discontinued in a building, the school principal will give written notification to parents at least five days prior to termination. V. Implementation and/or discontinuance of a Student Safety Patrol Program must be assessed each year with documentation placed in the school s safety folder. 17