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HomeMy WebLinkAboutPD-115-00 o . DN:PlIS-OO THE CORPORATION OF THE MUNICIPALITY OF CLARINGTON REPORT Meeting: General Purpose and Administration Committee File # 1O%' 0k Res. #{;/fI-4jR{-o 0 Date: Monday, December 11, 2000 Report #: PD-115-00 FILE #: CG 1.5 By-law # Subj ect: REQUEST FOR TWO (2) ADULT SCHOOL CROSSING GUARDS AND A CASUAL ROVER CROSSING GUARD LOCATIONS: DR. ROSS TILLEY PUBLIC SCHOOL AND JOHN M. JAMES PUBLIC SCHOOL FILE: CG 1.5 Recommendations: It is respectfully recommended that the General Purpose and Administration Committee recommend to Council the following: 1. THAT Report PD-l15-00 be received; 2. THAT Adult School Crossing Guards be approved at West Side Drive in front of Dr. Ross Tilley Public School and at the comer of Mearns Avenue and Apple Blossom Blvd. in Bowmanville; 3 . THAT a rover adult crossing guard be hired on a casual basis; 4. THAT funds be incorporated in the 2001 budget for these positions; and 5. THAT all interested parties listed in this report and any delegations be advised of Council's decision. 1. BACKGROUND 1.1 School Crossing Guard requests have been received for the following locations. a) West Side Drive in front of Dr. Ross Tilley Public School This request is made by Ron Cameron, Principal of Dr. Ross Tilley Public School to facilitate students living in this area. West Side Drive is the main collector road thorough of this subdivision. The pavement surface is uneven and average operating speeds are approximately 48 km!hr. When underground deficiencies on this roadway are corrected and resurfacing occurs, the operating speeds are expected to increase. 657 '-. . REPORT NO.: PD-115-00 PAGE 2 b) Corner of Apple Blossom Blvd. and Mearns Avenue" Bowmanville This request is made by Ray Delegarde, former Manager of Transportation, Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board. In his letter dated May 5, 2000 he indicated that in the Apple Blossom Neighbourhood on the west side of Mearns Avenue and north of Concession Street there is an estimated population of 260 JK to Grade 6 students who will be walking to school. Over the next 2 years they expect this number to grow as grade levels increase to Grades 7 and 8. 2. MUNICIPALITY POLICY The standard method to determine the need for an Adult School Crossing Guard was developed by the Institute of Transportation of Engineers and used by many municipalities throughout North America. The technique involves the use of a stop watch to determine the length and quantity of safe gaps between vehicles, and is expressed in percentage of the studied time where school children will experience delay or difficulty in crossing a street. In 1991, the Municipality ofClarington adopted 50% as the threshold for the introduction of an adult school crossing guard. 3. STUDY RESULTS Subsequent to the requests, School Crossing Guard Need Studies are conducted for the following locations: a) West Side Drive in front of Dr. Ross Tilley Public School Observations of the crossing showed approximately 20 students were using this crossing location while many were picked up by parents and some may have crossed West Side Drive at locations farther from the school. 658 -. . REPORT NO.: PD-115-00 PAGE 3 The results indicate the delay or difficulty for elementary school children crossing the street and is expressed in percentage of the total study time: June 10, 1999 study results Showed a delay factor of only 33.7%. September 2000 study results Date Period Delay September 18, 2000 September 20, 2000 September 27,2000 September 28, 2000 September 29, 2000 September 29,2000 Average: pm am pm am pm am 43.5% 46.8% 63.8% 56.7% 48.2% 48.3% 51.2% b) Corner of Apple Blossom Blvd. and Mearns Avenue, Bowmanville John M. James School is being built on a Type 'C" arterial road and not internal to the neighbourhood. Due to the fact that the school is yet to be completed, a regular Crossing Guard study could not be completed. A proper study will be completed after the school opens in January 2001. The proposed crossing location across Mearns Avenue on the south side of Apple Blossom Blvd. seems to be the most appropriate location. Grades 7 and 8 students living north of Concession Street, presently attending Vincent Massey Public School will be transferred over to John M. James Public School over the next two years. Intersection vehicle counts at Mearns Avenue and Concession Street show an increase in traffic on Mearns Avenue in the following table. 659 -.. . REPORT NO.: PD-115-00 PAGE 4 Time 1998 Study 2000 Study Difference 0/0 Increase 3:30 - 4:30 p.rn. 120 184 64 53% 8:30 - 9:30 a.m. 68 170 102 150% When the John M. James Public School opens in January 2001 and residents move into the new homes, traffic volumes will continue to increase. Staff believe that a Crossing Guard will be warranted if not immediately, in the near future, Mearns Avenue is an arterial road which is intended to convey a larger volume of traffic at higher speeds. Accordingly, although there is no study information available at the present time, it is staff's recommendation to provide for this Crossing Guard on the day the school opens. 4. ADDITIONAL ROVER Since 1991, the crossing guard locations have nearly doubled from 15 to 29 (including the two positions above). Throughout that period, there has been 2 rovers. Rovers are on call every day. There have been several occasions over the past year where we have not had the staff to replace Crossing Guards either off sick, on vacation, or for personal reasons. For one reason or another there have been more than 2 Crossing Guards off at one particular time therefore, leaving the extra locations without a Crossing Guard. In these instances, the school is notified and requested to provide a teacher to assist at the crossing. In order to address the problem that is experienced on an occasional basis, it is recommended that a casual rover be hired. This person would not be on call every day but would be utilized primarily to cover scheduled absences ( vacation, surgery, etc.). This would alleviate the current problem. The situation would be monitored over time to determine when a 3'. permanent rover is required. The casual rover would be paid at the same daily rate as the other crossing guards. 660 ", . REPORT NO.: PD-1l5-00 PAGE 5 5. CONCLUSIONS It is recommended that 2 new permanent crossing guards be hired to serve students attending Dr. Ross Tilley and John M. James Public Schools. In addition, it is recommended that a new rover crossing guard be hired on a casual basis. Respectfully submitted, Reviewed by, d~~ D . rome, M.C.I.P., RP.P. Director of Planning & Development DF*DC*df Franklin Wu, M.C.I.P., RP.P. Chief Administrative Officer. 23 November 2000. Interested parties to be notified of Council and Committee's decision: Ron Cameron, Principal Dr. Ross Tilley Public School 45 West Side Drive BOWMANVILLE, Ontario LlC 4Y8 F. Mandryk, Principal John M. James Public School 175 Mearns Avenue BOWMANVILLE, Ontario LlC 5C6 Roy Wierenga Kawartha Pine Ridge District School Board 1994 Fisher Drive P.O. Box 719 PETERBOROUGH, Ontario K9J 7 Al 661