Pittsburgh Mayor Ed Gainey announces measures to make neighborhoods safer

Pittsburgh is nixing a requirement that crossing guards have driver’s licenses.

The city is also moving ahead with plans to install traffic calming measures in the city’s Glen Hazel neighborhood.

The measures, which Mayor Ed Gainey said aim to create safer neighborhoods, were spurred in part by a community meeting in Glen Hazel earlier this month where Gainey said residents discussed concerns about neighborhood safety.

“Creating safe neighborhoods across our city is a top priority for my administration,” Gainey said.

The city is now looking to hire more crossing guards in an effort to ensure that children are safe when walking to and from school, Gainey said.

Gainey’s office said candidates applying to become crossing guards will no longer be required to have a driver’s license. The administration said they hope the change will encourage a more diverse pool of candidates and eliminate a barrier for people looking to work as crossing guards.

This comes after Pittsburgh City Controller Michael Lamb earlier this month released an audit citing a “concerning” decline in the number of school crossing guards throughout the city.

The mayor’s office also announced new traffic calming measures for the Glen Hazel neighborhood, including speed humps on Johnston Avenue, Mansion Street and Glenwood Avenue.

New signage and pavement markings — including newly painted crosswalks — will be installed on the same streets.

A flashing school zone sign is set to be placed at Propel School.

Officials said two lights on Rivermont Drive were fixed to provide increased lighting at night.