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Arizona Department of Transportation Traffic Safety for School Areas Guidelines
Arizona Department of
Transportation
Traffic Safety for School Areas
Guidelines
JUNE 2003
30-012 Arizona Department of
Transportation
Traffic Safety for School Areas Guidelines
Table of Contents
Section
Title
Page
1
Foreword
1-1
2
Site Selection
2-1
3
On-Site Safety
3-1
4
Off-Site Safety
4-1
5
Safety On Existing School Sites
5-1
6
(Previously Section 7.5. Referred to as Section 7.5 in the AZ MUTCD Supplement)
Arizona School Crossing Controls
6-1
7
Pedestrian Signals
7-1
8
Pedestrian Overpasses
8-1
A
Appendix A Figures
A-1
B
Appendix B School Crossing Warrants
B-1
C
Appendix C ARS 28-797
C-1 Section 1
FOREWORD
Traffic control in school areas is a highly sensitive subject. If all the demands
of parents and others were met, there would have to be many more police and adult
guards for school duty; and may more traffic signals, signs and markings. Such
demands, however, are not always in line with actual needs.
Analyses often show that many locations, school crossing controls requested
by parents, teachers and other citizens are unnecessary and costly and tend to
lessen the respect for controls that are warranted. It is therefore important to stress
the point that regardless of the school location, safe and effective traffic control can
best be obtained through the uniform application of realistic policies, practices and
standards developed through engineering studies.
Pedestrian safety depends in large measure upon public understanding of
accepted methods for efficient traffic control. This principle is never more important
than in the control of pedestrians and vehicles in the vicinity of schools. Neither
school children nor vehicle operators can be expected to move safely in school
zones unless they understand both the need for traffic controls and the ways in
which these controls function for their benefit.
Non-uniform procedures and devices cause some confusion among pedestrians
and vehicle operators, prompt wrong decisions, and can contribute to accidents. In
order to achieve uniformity of traffic control in school areas, comparable traffic
situations must be treated in the same manner. Each traffic control device and
control method described in this guide fulfills a specific function related to specific
traffic conditions.
The type of school area traffic control used, either warning or regulatory, must be
related to the volume and speed of traffic, street width and the number of children
crossing. For this reason, the traffic controls necessary in a school area located on a
major highway would not necessarily be needed on a residential street away from
heavy traffic. Yet, the important point to be made is that a uniform approach to
school area traffic controls must be developed to assure the use of similar controls
for similar situations (which promotes uniform behavior on the part of vehicle
operators and pedestrians).
This publication is intended to provide guidelines for the implementation of the
MUTCD part VII, in accordance with ARS 28-797.
1-1 Section 2
Site Selection
The safe and effective movement of vehicular and
pedestrian traffic on school property should be a primary
objective of school administrators, school architects and
traffic engineers. Control of traffic around school areas is
one of the most important factors to be considered when
selecting and designing a school site plan. With proper
site selection, tomorrows traffic problems can be
eliminated or treated at the design stage, thus averting a
possible tragedy and eliminating unnecessary
expenditures for correcting problems which surface after
the school is in operation. The suggestions in this guide
need not be considered absolute; on the contrary, they
should be tailored to fit local conditions. Consideration
should be given to all forms of traffic entering and leaving
the school area: buses, parents, faculty, service and
student vehicles, bicycles, pedestrians, and emergency
vehicles. A traffic engineer should be consulted before
plans are finalized.
This chapter is directed to all personnel involved
either in designing and operating new school facilities or
in renovating and reconstructing existing facilities. The
guidelines, however, can be applied to all school sites as
part of a regular review to ensure that existing facilities
are as safe as possible. Persons involved in school site
planning and design should consult with local
government and safety agencies for assistance. State
and local officials should also be consulted regarding
standards, codes, ordinances and permits.
The following traffic control principles will, if adhered
to, provide a safe environment for school sites. They
should be given the highest possible priority when
evaluating new sites, expanding current sites, or
reviewing existing school operations.
An important aspect of site selection is the review of
the present and future land use surrounding the school
area. For undeveloped areas, such a review should
determine whether future development in the area would
complement a new school. Property zoned for
residential use is a good example of land use
complementing a school area. In developed areas a
land use review would aid in the location of school
driveways. An estimate of future traffic volumes on
abutting streets, the need for traffic control devices, and
the need for pedestrian control should all be reviewed
prior to the design stage to avoid future traffic problems.
Local zoning should be reviewed to
Determine future land development and possible
new traffic patterns.
Prior to land acquisition and specific planning for
school sites, the school board or superintendent
should determine certain basic parameters:
1. Current and projected school population to be
served in the district.
2. Grades to be served (elementary, junior high,
middle school, and high school).
3. The size of the school (this should include
projections for future growth).
4. Scope of extracurricular activities playground
area, athletic fields, auditorium facilities,
community rooms, etc.
5. Current transportation policies in the district.
6. Size and shape of the school grounds.
7. Abutting and on-site roadway systems, including
parking, loading zones and accessibility.
8. Proximity to high speed highways or arterials
which would require crossing by school children.
When these elements have been identified, the
actual land area needed for the school site can be
calculated by the school architect and planner. Sites
available within a school district are usually limited,
and too often the final selection is based primarily on
initial cost with secondary consideration given to some
of the parameters cited above. Such a selection,
based on cost alone, is shortsighted and an prove
costly in future years if the site does not have
sufficient area to accommodate future building and
related facilities, as well as essential transportation
facilities.
During the initial stages, local authorities should be
contacted to determine present and future zoning
ordinances and transportation systems.
The actual site location will depend on consideration of
the following factors:
2-1 1. Amount of land needed.
2. Zoning or land use.
3. Evaluation of land presently owned by the school
district.
4. Funds available for land acquisition.
5. Access to street system and classification of
adjacent streets (residential, major arterial, state
highway, county primary, etc.)
6. Relationship to other facilities.
7. Landscaping
requirements.
8. Availability of utilities.
9. Compatibility with adjacent land owners.
10. Future plans for expansion.
Donated land or land presently owned by the
school district is not always the best buy for a new
school site. Increased travel times, accessibility, and
land use problems often will more than offset the
initial dollar savings. A new school is a long-range
investment and should be analyzed from that point of
view.
If the site is not readily accessible from an
adequate street network, traffic congestion and
potentially hazardous conflicts will develop. Further, if
the site is not adequate in size, it cannot efficiently
accommodate all facilities necessary for safe school
operations. In addition to the buildings, these items
include:
1. Separate loading zones for
a) Students transported by parents
b) Students transported by bus
2. Separate parking facilities for
a) faculty and staff
b) visitors
c) students
3. Pedestrian and bicycle routes
4. Access for
a) emergency
vehicles
b) service