Crossing Guard Program
2027 Adjustments
The City of Sun Prairie is updating its crossing guard program following a careful review led by the Sun Prairie Police Department (SNPD), which evaluated traffic, safety, and operational data at crossing guard locations throughout the community. While the City will see savings from these updates, this decision is about more than the budget – it’s about making sure we can provide an effective, sustainable crossing guard program while continuing to prioritize the safety of students and pedestrians in our community.
The goal was not to simply cut crossing guards, but to make sure we are putting crossing guards where they are most needed. Some locations will continue to have guards, some will have reduced staffing, and some will no longer have a dedicated guard because they do not meet the City’s established criteria. We will continue to monitor these locations and can reevaluate them if conditions change.
It is important to note that the absence of a crossing guard does not mean an intersection is unsafe, nor does it mean the city is reducing its commitment to pedestrian safety. In many cases, intersections have existing safety measures such as traffic signals, all-way stop signs, median refuges, raised crosswalks, or other infrastructure designed to help pedestrians cross safely.
Evaluation Process
- Student and pedestrian crossing volumes
- Roadway characteristics
- Traffic controls and patterns
- Speeds
- Crash history
- Existing pedestrian infrastructure
- Overall risk associated with each intersection
Changes & Timeline
For the remainder of 2026, all crossing guard locations will remain the same except for the reduction from two guards to one at the following locations:
- Main St/Walker
- Grand Ave/Blue Heron
- Windsor/N Thompson
- N Thompson/Pennsylvania
Additional changes scheduled to go into effect on January 1, 2027 include:
- Discontinuation of crossing guards at:
- Columbus/Church
- North/MacArther
- Brown Bear/O’Keeffe
- Buena Vista/Walker
- Grand Ave/Blue Heron
- Windsor/N Thompson
- Staffing reduced from two to one crossing guards at:
- Main/Walker
- N Thompson/Pennsylvania
- Continuation of existing crossing guard structure at:
- North/Windsor
- Bristol/MacArthur
- Why is the City changing the crossing guard program?
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SNPD conducted a comprehensive review of the crossing guard program to ensure that we are assigning crossing guards where they provide the greatest safety benefit. The review considered factors such as student crossing volumes, roadway characteristics, traffic controls, speed, crash history, existing pedestrian safety infrastructure, and the overall hazard associated with each location. While the City will see savings from these updates, this decision is about more than the budget - it's about making sure we can provide an effective, sustainable crossing guard program while continuing to prioritize the safety of students and pedestrians in our community.
- Is this change being implemented just to save money?
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No. As with any City service, we have a responsibility to use public resources wisely. The financial impact was one factor we considered as part of this review, but it was not the primary reason for these changes. Safety and effectiveness were central to the discussion, and our ultimate goal is to ensure that limited resources are deployed where the greatest need and safety benefit have been identified through our evaluation.
- Does removing a crossing guard make the intersection unsafe?
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No. The absence of a crossing guard does not mean that an intersection is unsafe. It simply means that the City has determined that, based on the available data and existing safety controls (such as traffic signals, all-way stop signs, median refuges, raised crosswalks, etc.), a dedicated crossing guard is not necessary at that location under the current conditions. We will continue to monitor all locations and reevaluate them if conditions change.
- What about the safety of our children?
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The safety of children remains the City's highest priority. The city is not reducing its commitment to pedestrian safety. We are aligning crossing guard resources with the locations where the greatest demonstrated need exists, and we are confident that these changes will not jeopardize student/children safety. We will continue to engage with our partners at the schools, monitor effectiveness, and make adjustments when warranted.
- What happens if conditions change?
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This program will continue to be evaluated. If traffic patterns, student crossing volumes, roadway conditions, development, or other circumstances change, the city will reassess the location.
- What is the process to add an intersection?
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The crossing guard program relies on input from elementary school principals, who may request that the City of Sun Prairie's Traffic Safety Team evaluate the need for a crossing guard at a particular location. The same evaluation criteria and matrix used to assess existing crossing guard locations are also applied when considering requests for additional crossing guard coverage.