Mayor Karen Bass and LAUSD officials tout street safety upgrades near schools

Crossing guard Ivonne Franco has seen several close calls—motorists not slowing down or paying attention, nearly resulting in accidents—during her ten years helping kids navigate a busy intersection at Burbank Boulevard Elementary School.

“Where I’m assigned to, it’s quite dangerous,” Franco said. “Traffic there is quite fast. Parents there know to be careful and whatnot, and that’s why we’re here (as crossing guards), to prevent accidents.”

Franco is one of the more than 500 crossing guards deployed along streets adjacent to Los Angeles Unified School District campuses this year—L.A.’s largest fleet of school crossing guards in a decade.

As LAUSD wraps up its second week of the 2024-25 school year, families might notice not only more crossing guards, but other new street safety precautions like more speed bumps and school slow zone signs.

With funding from the city of Los Angeles and crossing guards hired by the city’s Department of Transportation, LAUSD spent the summer gearing up to keep school environments safe. Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho and other local officials toured street improvements at Van Nuys Elementary in the San Fernando Valley on Wednesday, Aug. 21.

“Today, we are highlighting urgent action the city has taken in collaboration with LAUSD,” Bass said. “(These projects) make it safer for children and families to get to and from school. This is all part of a comprehensive public safety strategy to make all of Los Angeles safer.”

Across the city, more than 250 new speed bumps have been installed near 92 schools where speeding is an  issue. In addition, several crosswalks have been repainted and hundreds of 15 mph speed limit signs have been installed.

“Together we are making great strides in building a community that cherishes and protects its youth,” Carvalho said.

The street safety improvements come roughly a year after a mother was killed when she was struck by a truck while walking her daughter to Hancock Park Elementary School in Mid-Wilshire.

L.A. City Council President Paul Krekorian, who represents communities including Van Nuys, Studio City and North Hollywood in District 2, said the issue of street safety is “personal to me.”

“From my first days on city council I’ve had to comfort too many families whose children were injured or even killed by a driver hurtling through the intersection,” Krekorian said.

Krekorian emphasized that drivers should always be alert and distraction-free, especially when near a school.

Victor Bajarallan, a crossing guard at San Jose Street Elementary School in Mission Hills, works each morning and afternoon to ensure kids get to school and back home without a hitch. He said the investments in street safety near schools, as well as awareness among motorists, are important.

“This is a noble job and we help the community, especially the children,” Bajarallan said. “It makes me happy to help the children and they are the future of this country.”