In light of a tragic death of a 12-year-old student walking to school in the Lake Murray area late last year, the San Diego Unified School District conducted and now has released a comprehensive list of pedestrian safety improvements proposed for schools across the district. Included in the list are several requests for La Jolla schools.
The audit stems from an incident in October 2025, when a car struck three siblings and killed Pershing Middle School student Andrew Olsen. His two siblings were injured but ultimately survived.
The children were struck as they were trying to cross Jackson Drive at Lake Badin Avenue shortly after 7:20 a.m., according to San Diego police. Speed and DUI were not considered factors in the crash, police spokesperson Lt. Travis Easter said at the time of the incident. During that time, two residents told The San Diego Union-Tribune that they had made requests to improve safety along the road to no avail.
In response to the incident, SDUSD superintendent Fabi Bagula, sent out a districtwide survey to school principals to identify pedestrian safety improvements. More than 100 school-based safety requests were identified, a majority of which had to do with signage, speed control and crosswalk improvements.
District leaders also met with San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria and every City Council office including San Diego City Council President Joe LaCava, whose District 1 includes La Jolla.
Within LaCava’s area, three La Jolla schools — Muirlands Middle, La Jolla High and Torrey Pines Elementary — offered potential pedestrian safety solutions. The other two public schools, Bird Rock Elementary and La Jolla Elementary, identified no immediate safety concerns at the time of the survey.
Here’s a look at which areas of improvement each site leader identified.
Muirlands Middle
• Install a countdown pedestrian signal at Nautilus Street and Avenida Mirola and a painted diagonal crosswalk leading toward Avenida Mirola
• Establish a pedestrian scramble (a signal arrangement that stops all cars at an intersection, which allows people to cross simultaneously on all four sides of that intersection and/or diagonally) at Nautilus Street and Avenida Mirola, as well as other pedestrian signal improvements
• Evaluate whether curb extensions or more visible signage would further increase safety
• Relocate the bus lane from the north side of Nautilus to the south side near Fay Avenue, thus eliminating conflicts between merging cars and downhill student cyclists
Some of Muirlands’ requests outlined in the report have already made their way to the La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board and the city of San Diego’s Engineering & Capital Projects Department.
Thus far, the requests were met with compromise. City representatives said they were reluctant to install a pedestrian scramble when the proposal came before T&T Board in February, but instead offered up several alternative safety measures for the intersection of Nautilus Street and Avenida Mirola. Due to its proximity to Muirlands, that intersection is busy during the morning and afternoon, but not as much in the evening.
Instead of a scramble, Stephen Celniker, a senior traffic engineer with the city, outlined four approved safety improvements for the intersection: increasing the time in which the “walk” sign is on from seven seconds to 10; implementing “No right turn” signs that activate during the pedestrian walk time; installing yellow, more visible crosswalks to replace fading ones; and installing an audible system that alerts pedestrians that the “walk” button is activated.
Most of those measures have been fulfilled or are in progress. Crosswalks have already been repainted so they’re more visible and a longer walk interval was set. The “No right turn” signs are now included of the city of San Diego’s Transportation Unfunded Needs List with a work order prepared, while audible notifications for when the “walk” button will be evaluated at a later time.
Muirlands principal Brendan Simon said he hopes a leading pedestrian interval, or LPI — a traffic signal setting that allows pedestrians a 3-7 second head before vehicles turn — paired with the “no right turn” sign will make a significant difference for pedestrian safety.
“I am happy with what has been done so far, but I think probably of the things listed, the most important are the leading pedestrian interval and ‘no right turn’ signs,” he told the La Jolla Light. “At the end of the day, I always know there are budgets … and things cost a different amount of money, but I think once those changes come in place they’ll be very helpful.”
The conversation around pedestrian safety improvements around the school were also shared with the community by Muirlands parent Shauna Wills. She approached the T&T Board on Jan. 20 with the pitch to move the school bus zone further uphill on Nautilus Street and the parental student drop-off and pickup area further downhill.
Shauna Wills (right), a Muirlands Middle School parent and chairwoman of Muirlands’ School Site Council and Site Governance Team, speaks at the La Jolla Traffic & Transportation Board meeting Jan. 20 about pedestrian safety measures Muirlands can take to ensure students safety. (Noah Lyons)
While the bus zone wasn’t relocated, it was shortened in recent months, allowing for drop-off both at the top of the hill and the bottom of the hill.
The feasibility of curb extensions is still being evaluated.
La Jolla High
• Repaint the bus markings and signage on Nautilus Street and Draper Avenue
• Repaint crosswalks at the corner of Draper Avenue and Nautilus Street and the corner of Fay Avenue and Nautilus Street
• Repaint all loading zones and add updated signage on Nautilus Street near the school
• Explore creating a bike lane on Nautilus Street near the school
Much of La Jolla High School’s recommendations center on improved visibility and clarity for people driving and walking through the area. Principal Chuck Podhorsky says this is especially important during busy arrival and dismissal times.
Repainting at the crosswalk of Fay Avenue and Nautilus Street has been completed, the city of San Diego says. (Noah Lyons)
“We have more than 1,250 students who walk, bike, drive, or are dropped off each day, so clear pavement markings and signage play an important role in helping traffic move safely and predictably,” Podhorsky told the La Jolla Light. “Items such as repainting crosswalks, bus markings, loading zones, and updating signage are important because they improve visibility for drivers, pedestrians, cyclists and buses. Over time, pavement markings naturally fade, making them less effective. Refreshing these markings helps reinforce safe traffic patterns and reduces confusion around the school.”
Podhorsky argued that exploring creating a bike lane on Nautilus Street would benefit a growing number of students who bike to campus. His recommendation comes with a caveat that it’s important to also balance the needs of all roadway users, not just cyclists.
However, Podhorsky’s bike lane request was evaluated by city staff, but was not found to be feasible.
According to the city of San Diego’s Bicycle Master Plan, the corridor in question is intended as a Class III facility, meaning the road is to be shared by bicyclists and motorists alike.
Torrey Pines Elementary
• Add a crosswalk on Cliffridge Avenue and Scenic Place
• Add a crosswalk on Scenic Place and La Jolla Scenic Drive North
Torrey Pines’ requests come from former principal Keith Keiper, who departed the school late last semester.
Torrey Pines Elementary School in La Jolla. (File)
One of the two requests is already underway. A work order has been issued to the city’s street division to add a crosswalk on Scenic Place and Scenic Drive North.
City staff visited Cliffridge Avenue and Scenic Place, finding the crosswalk already exists. Thus, no further action was recommended.
SDUSD Area Superintendent Mitzi Merino says taking this action would improve the safety of students as they cross the street to arrive at school. Keiper could not be reached for comment.
— The San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Karen Kutcher contributed to this report.