Howard County parents say more infrastructure is needed for kids who walk to school

Sep. 27—Although 85 pedestrian safety projects, such as new sidewalks, crosswalks, ramps, signage and pathways, were completed over the summer in Howard County, parents continue to voice concerns about inadequate infrastructure for students who must walk to school.

To implement later start times, Howard's school board approved a series of transportation overhauls earlier this year, including expanding student walk zones and mandating bus rider registration.

This school year, non-transportation zones have shifted from a half-mile to 1 mile for prekindergarten students, from 1 mile to 1 1/2 miles for middle schoolers, and from 1 1/2 miles to 2 miles for high school students. Although the walk distance for elementary school students stayed the same at 1 mile, the distance was changed to be measured from a home's property line to the school's property line, instead of the school door. As a result, 23 of 42 elementary schools have new walk zones.

Howard has allocated more than $6 million specifically for infrastructure projects to provide improved routes for schoolchildren, according to the county's approved capital budget for fiscal 2024.

Howard County Executive Calvin Ball discussed the pedestrian safety projects during a news conference Aug. 24.

"In addition to creating a more pedestrian-friendly community, these projects are also located on our local school walk zones, enhancing the safety of our students and families who use walking routes to travel between school and home," Ball said. "We stand ready to continue to respond to pedestrian safety and access improvements identified in collaboration with our community."

Ball said residents can use the Tell HoCo service (howardcountymd.gov/tell-hoco) to report any infrastructure needs, as well as other nonemergency concerns.

About 1,350 elementary schoolers, 800 middle schoolers and 1,200 high schoolers lost bus service this school year as a result of the new zones, HCPSS spokesperson Brian Bassett said.

Additionally, bus stops can now be placed up to 1 mile away from home for elementary schoolers, 1 1/2 miles for middle schoolers and 2 miles for high schoolers, whereas students previously only had to walk up to a half-mile to bus stops.

Edith Manney, 51, of Columbia, said she drives her 15-year-old son, a sophomore at Wilde Lake High School, to school as often as possible, since his bus transportation was canceled due to the new boundary lines in Howard public schools.

If she is unable to drive him, her son must walk about 45 minutes to get to school along Little Patuxent Parkway, crossing a busy four-lane road at Cedar Lane, then traverse a confusing intersection at Twin Rivers Parkway — all while carrying his trumpet and soccer gear.

"I'm concerned on a beautiful sunny day how much of an ask that is," Manney said, "and then when you add in the inclement weather and things like that where it becomes more unsafe and more of a physical ask."

Traci Reid, 45, of Jessup, lives about 1 1/2 miles from Guilford Park High School and her daughter, Ruby Lenkey, a 15-year-old sophomore, is not eligible for bus transportation.

Reid said part of her daughter's route to school does not have sidewalks and crosses the intersection of Vulmerhousen Road and Guilford Road. Drivers often cross the limited-visibility intersection at high speeds, Reid said, and there are visible skid marks at the intersection.

Reid said she doubts that school officials would allow their own children to walk the route.

"There's always accidents here," Reid said. "There is a crosswalk now, but there's no crossing guard for high school kids."

Reid said she is fortunate that her job has enough flexibility for her to transport her daughter to school and back, but driving makes her work hours awkward, causing her to miss her lunch break.

"I don't even treat her like a baby," Reid said, "but I wouldn't cross that street myself. I walk a dog and I won't even walk them down there. They're crazy to think that this was a good idea."

The change in walk routes and school start times has required the hiring of more crossing guards, Howard County Police Department Public Information Officer Seth Hoffman said in an email last week.

According to Hoffman, Howard County police have been serving as crossing guards until enough crossing guards can be hired.

According to Howard County Police Department Director of Public Affairs Sherry Llewellyn, the department initially needed to fill 22 crossing guard openings, but the recent change in school start times has allowed guards to cover multiple intersections in one shift. That has reduced the needed number of new crossing guard positions to 17.

Nine new crossing guards are already assisting students, and four are set to begin on Oct. 2. The remaining four positions are being staffed by county police officers until permanent crossing guards can be hired.

Kendra Reinmann, of Jessup, is the mother of two middle school students who walk to school. She said it would be good to have more crossing guards in her neighborhood on school days, especially at the intersections of Vulmerhousen and Guilford roads, and Mission Road and Redondo Way.

"I know how the traffic moves in and out of this neighborhood, let alone on Mission Road," Reinmann said, "and absolutely I think there should be one there."

Decisions pertaining to crossing guards are made by the school system, county police and the Traffic Engineering Division of Howard County Department of Public Works, based on studies conducted by Traffic Engineering, Hoffman said.