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Published on 10/06/1999 All articles from this issue

Loyola neighbors petition city for raised crosswalk

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By Linda Taaffe / Town Crier Staff Writer

More than 100 residents in the Loyola School community had signed a petition as of last week urging the city of Los Altos to install a raised rubber crosswalk in front of the school in order to slow down traffic.

"The reason why we did a petition is to let the city know that it's not one or two people but a lot of us (concerned)," said Bill Crook about the traffic in his neighborhood, which he described as too much and too fast. Crook is chairman of the Loyola PTA Safety Committee.

Despite police efforts to enforce the speed limit, neighbors say not enough drivers slow down or stop at the crosswalk at the front of the school on Berry Avenue.

"Enforcement helps, but you can't have police stationed there 24 hours a day," Crook said. "The traffic has really affected the quality of our neighborhood ... Children don't play in their front yards."

Neighbors say a raised rubber crosswalk in front of the school, where Seena Avenue dead-ends against Berry Avenue, would get drivers into the habit of slowing down. Crook described the proposed crosswalk as about 3-to-4 inches above street level and the width of the pedestrian painted zone.

A raised rubber crosswalk would cost about $2000-$5000, according to the Office of Transportation in Portland, Ore. Portland is currently using rubberized crosswalks in the downtown area.

Los Altos City Councilman King Lear said the city and school district are in the midst of forming a citizens' committee to list and prioritize school traffic issues and to determine which entity is responsible for specific traffic solutions.

"There's a lot of confusion," Lear said. "We're looking to have a positive solution."

The city council is scheduled this month to approve a traffic management plan, which will address specific neighborhood traffic issues.

Lear said school traffic issues are separate from the neighborhood issues in the management plan. He said the installation of a raised crosswalk could depend upon on the city's proposed tax measure on this November's ballot, which would raise funds for safety issues.

"Our budget is very tight," Lear said.

In the meantime, Crook said the school community is trying to create a "more walkable community."

He said the school is participating in the national "Walk a Child to School Day" today and sponsoring the "Be an Angel - Drive 25" campaign this month to promote walking and safe driving.