Fairfax County Board of Supervisors votes to bring crossing guards back
By Ava-Grace Satterfield, staff writer
The Fairfax County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Sept. 15 to restore crossing guards at 10 of the 13 Fairfax County Public Schools high schools that previously had them.
The decision to eliminate the guards during the spring budget process saved $1.89 million but prompted public outcry amid multiple crashes and close calls involving traffic.
“I bring my child to South Lakes High School every day, and in the first few days of school, traffic was insane ... I saw a few near-disasters,” said Reston Association President Travis Johnson.
Dozens of Fairfax County residents urged the board to allocate $700,000 to permanently restore the guards, as well as fund additional pedestrian safety measures.
South Lakes student Vivian Smozynski created a petition, “Return Crossing Guards to South Lakes High School,” which garnered more than 500 signatures. She spoke to the board in support of restoring the guards.
“The petition has 525 signatures ... that is 525 students that are scared, proactive parents, and restless community members that disapprove of your actions,” she said.
Hunter Mill school board representative Melanie Meren has followed the issue of pedestrian safety for the past two years.
“Residents want road improvements faster before more people die. We need quick-build solutions while aligning engineering, funding, and coordination for lasting improvements,” she told the board.
Community members also criticized the board for what they described as a lack of transparency about the reasoning behind the original decision.
“Show us the evidence that removing the crossing guard would be safe, not merely the absence that it wouldn’t be,” said South Lakes parent David Michaelson.
Board members discussed the responsibility of citizens to protect pedestrians, as well as the need for education and infrastructure improvements.
“We need to make sure that kids and parents have options for ways for kids to get around,” said Chairman Jeff McKay. “Many things that we decide here have an underpinning of public safety, even when they appear on the surface not to.”
The Board of Supervisors also discussed forming a joint task force to address pedestrian and traffic safety issues and implement transportation measures. Dranesville District Supervisor Bierman pointed to the board’s commitment to improving pedestrian and traffic safety.
“We have committed to spend $100 million over six years for pedestrian and bicycle improvements, and as part of carryover today, we are putting another $9 million towards it,” he said.
Following the public hearing, crossing guard positions are expected to return to the county budget.
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