Long time Voice readers will recall the huge controversy over school crossing guards that erupted five-plus years ago and was eventually resolved with some key donations from civic and business groups.  There is probably no appetite for reopening that especially when a parent can get 185 signature on a petition as the Daily Journal reported yesterday.

Concern over a busy intersection at Ray Drive/Rosedale Avenue and El Camino Real has sparked Burlingame’s school district and the city to add a crossing guard to the area to reduce potential dangers.

The intersection is frequently used by students traveling from the Burlingame Village neighborhood to both Lincoln Elementary and Burlingame Intermediate schools, but traffic at that intersection is very fast and congested. A $10,000 a year crossing guard will increase safety for the Burlingame Elementary School District students and potentially reduce the number of cars traveling to and from the schools, according to a staff report. The cost will be split equally between the city of Burlingame and the district, and the city has already approved the guard as well, said City Manager Lisa Goldman.

The facts and figures that drove this decision are

At that particular intersection, there have been 12 accidents, eight injuries and zero fatalities between Jan. 1, 2010, and Dec. 31, 2012, said Caltrans spokeswoman Gidget Navarro. The total accident rate is 0.86 compared to statewide average of 0.27. The total average is based on similar intersections for the whole state of California. Caltrans takes similar intersections with the same amount of lanes together and do comparisons, she said.

Sounds like a plan!