INTRODUCTION

Adult Crossing Guards are a supplemental means to assist elementary school pedestrians and are not a traffic control device. They may be assigned to designated school crossings to assist elementary school pedestrians at specified hours when going to or from school. The following suggested policy for their assignment applies only to crossings serving elementary school pedestrians on the "Suggested Route to School".

An Adult Crossing Guard should be considered when:

• Special problems exist which make it necessary to assist elementary school pedestrians in crossing the street, such as at an unusually complicated intersection with frequent turning movements and high vehicular speeds; or,

• A change in the school crossing location is imminent but prevailing conditions require school crossing supervision for a limited time and it is unfeasible to install another form of control for a temporary period.

WARRANTS FOR ADULT CROSSING GUARDS

Adult Crossing Guards normally are assigned where official supervision of elementary school pedestrians is desirable while they cross a public highway on the "Suggested Route to School", and at least 40 elementary school pedestrians for each of any two hours daily use the crossing while going to or from school. Adult crossing guards may be used under the following conditions:

At uncontrolled crossings where there is no alternate controlled crossing within 600 feet; and,

• In urban areas where the vehicular traffic volume exceeds 350 during each of any two hours (not necessarily consecutive) in which 40 or more school pedestrians cross daily while going to or from school; or,

• In rural areas where the vehicular traffic volume exceeds 300 during each of any two hours (not necessarily consecutive) in which 30 or more school pedestrians cross daily while going to or from school.

• Whenever the critical approach speed (85 percentile) exceeds 40 mph, the guidelines for rural areas should be applied.

At stop sign controlled crossings:

• Where the vehicular traffic volume on undivided highways of four or more lanes exceeds 500 per hour during any period when the elementary school pedestrians are going to or from school.

At traffic signal controlled crossings:

• Where the number of vehicular turning movements through the school crosswalk exceeds 300 per hour while school pedestrians are going to or from school; or,

• Where there are circumstances not normally present at a signalized intersection, such as crosswalks more than 80 feet long with no intermediate pedestrian refuge, or high proportion of large commercial vehicles.

What is the process for requesting new adult crossing guards?

All requests for new adult crossing guards should be directed to the School District. If the School District staff finds that the requested location is appropriate, the District will forward the request to the Traffic Safety Committee of the City of Anaheim, or the Traffic Engineering Division, who will arrange the collection of the necessary data to thoroughly study the location.

If the standards are met for placing a crossing guard, the Traffic Engineering Division will forward a request to the Police Department to budget funds to hire a new crossing. When the funds are budgeted, the new adult crossing guard will be placed. If the standards for a new crossing guard are not met, the City notifies the School District that the standards were not met.

Are Adult Crossing Guards Trained?

The Police Department provides a thorough training program for all new adult crossing guards and monitors the effectiveness of all existing guards on an ongoing basis.

If you have any questions, requests or suggestions concerning traffic control, call the Traffic Engineering Division (714) 765-5183