As the start of another school year is amongst us, I believe it is important to discuss a topic that impacts all of us, transportation. Since the beginning of my term, our office has received hundreds of emails and phone calls from constituents with questions, concerns, priorities, and requests about anything happening in the city. An overwhelming majority of those requests are regarding transportation and safety concerns around schools.
Your child’s daily commute to school should not be paired with stress and deep concerns for their safety, unfortunately, that’s not always the case.
The parents of the Sumner School in Roslindale advocate every year to ensure that there is a crossing guard at the main intersections on Washington St and on Cummins Hwy, a role in catastrophic short supply. The neighbors and staff of the Chittick School have been organizing to make Radcliffe Rd a one-way during drop off and pick up due to the increased congestion around the school buses. Parents of students who take a BPS school bus experience fear as they witness drivers speed by the bus stop signs as their children try to cross Washington St and Albano St.
It’s not only the parents and guardians expressing their concerns and fear, students voice their struggles as well. When I met with the student council of the Boston Renaissance Charter School in Hyde Park, one of their main concerns was regarding the school bus safety and the timeliness of the service. The students at Mattapan Tech, a summer program for High School students to learn about coding and technology, expressed their wishes to have better quality infrastructure so that they can feel safe when walking to school as that is their primary mode of commuting.
These are only a few examples of what many residents are experiencing not only in the district I serve but throughout Boston.
So what can we do?
As a response to our residents, our office has submitted three hearing orders to explore ways in which we can find solutions to these concerns.
1. A hearing to explore the creation of Safe School Zones to improve pedestrian safety. 2. A hearing on technological improvements in Boston School Bus transportation. 3. A hearing to improve recruitment of civilian crossing guards to serve Boston families.
The first course of action that we took was on April 11, 2024, when our office, alongside Councilor Sharon Durkan, hosted a working session with the Streets Cabinet to launch an initiative to standardize the implementation of school zones. At this workshop, we were able to brainstorm what kind of new improvements and new infrastructures we wanted to see near our schools. We were also able to learn about the new definition of what a school zone will look like. Thanks to Boston Transportation Department’s Safe Routes to School Planner, Silvia Castanos, we found out that we are already working on implementing school zones for individual schools, arterial roads, clusters of schools, and school zones within a 20 MPH safety surge neighborhood zone. Starting this school year, 7 schools will be piloted to represent the new school zone protocols, and soon enough we will see it at all schools.
Mattapan resident, Yauri Ruiz, a mother of school-aged children says, “As a parent who drops off and picks up her students at their designated schools it is a daily frustrating ordeal to experience. Cars speeding by school zones with no regard for parents walking their children to and from school on crosswalks. Using technology to alert drivers of their speed and or adding speed bumps directly by these schools could curve said speeding.”
By expanding the meaning of a School Zone, our goal is to create uniform guidelines for all schools throughout the city. Our office would like to see raised crosswalks, flashing beacons alerting drivers of their speed, and enhanced daylighting near the crosswalks. That’s the goal.
In regards to technology on the school buses, there is already some progress we can point to. Our office is pleased to see BPS implement our recommendations for real-time bus tracking with the Zum app allowing real-time tracking. This new system will enable parents to view bus assignments, track rides, receive delay notifications, and get alerts when their child boards and exits the bus. Ensuring the safety and well-being of our youngest Bostonians is of utmost importance, and real-time visibility into their bus rides is crucial for parents and caregivers. We understand that this is a brand-new application, so our office will continue to monitor the app’s performance and ensure it meets our community’s needs and expectations.
However, technology improvements continue beyond this. When our office filed the hearing order on technological improvements in Boston School Bus transportation, we had bigger intentions. One of the biggest concerns we’ve heard from parents is that drivers violate the school bus stop sign and are not held accountable for their actions. Our office found that Peabody, MA recently ran a pilot program with BusPatrol and installed cameras on the stop signs of their school buses finding that over 800 vehicles violated the stop sign in the first 5 weeks.
Marie Frances, a Roslindale resident and a parent of a BPS student says “I love being able to walk and bike with my son in our neighborhood and around the city. Unfortunately, because of reckless driver behavior, violating the stop signs, and underinvestment in safer streets, I don’t always feel safe to move around the city in ways I would love to.”
Unfortunately, due to State Laws, we will not be able to enforce violations to the drivers, but it will help us understand how dangerous the situation is. We hope to use that data to lobby the state house on why we need to start using this type of enforcement in Boston. On Tuesday, September 3rd, our office sent a letter to State Senator Michael Rodrigues and Honorable Members of the Senate Joint Committee on Ways and Means, in strong support for H.4940, an act concerning the safety of school children embarking and disembarking school buses. Below is the letter.
Lastly, it’s time to recognize and re-evaluate the role of our crossing guards. I will admit, that this is a job I previously took for granted. At first glance, I would see the crossing guard greeting me as I crossed the street, say my thanks, and carry on to my point of destination near a school. It wasn’t until I stepped in as a crossing guard this spring to aid recruitment that I realized what a difficult job this is.
Not only are our crossing guards one of the first interactions students and their guardians face when commuting to school, but they also become default traffic enforcers without any enforcing power. They are exposed to the weather, street conditions, and—perhaps the most dangerous—Boston drivers. Not to mention, these valuable people only work a few hours a day giving them restricted ability to work elsewhere for more pay. I truly believe we can do better for this major role by revamping it into a full-time or part-time position either with our schools or enforcement teams, giving them the respect they deserve for making the last stretch of a student’s commute to school safe.
While this school year will be the first full academic year of my tenure, I know these concerns are not new. I know that many school organizations have long advocated for these changes and more safety upgrades should be a given. Let’s work together to ensure all students, faculty, staff, and guardians will safely arrive and leave their schools this and every academic year.
Enrique J. Pepén is the Boston City Councilor for District 5, which includes Hyde Park, Readville, and parts of Roslindale and Mattapan. A proud first-generation Dominican-American and Boston Public School alumnus, Pepén’s commitment to public service stems from his upbringing in Charlestown Public Housing, where he witnessed neighbors unite to enhance community safety.
He began his career interning for former City Councilor Tito Jackson while studying at Suffolk University. After graduating, Pepén served as a district coordinator for Congressman Joe Kennedy III and was appointed Jamaica Plain Liaison by former Mayor Marty Walsh. He also led the Young Democrats of Massachusetts Latino Caucus and co-chaired the Regional Transit Authority Advocates Coalition.
Now residing in Roslindale with his wife and two children, Pepén transportation access, housing, environmental justice, racial equity, and immigrant advancement, proudly serving the community and people that have shaped his life.
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