PHOTO: Delilah Rabina | SouthPasadenan.com News | First day of school at Arroyo Vista Elementary
A child was involved in a vehicle-versus-pedestrian collision Monday afternoon in a designated school zone near Arroyo Vista Elementary, reigniting longstanding concerns from parents who have been urging the City and school district to add another crossing guard at a nearby intersection.
According to a March 23 press release from the City of South Pasadena, the incident occurred at approximately 2:43 p.m. at El Centro Street and Indiana Avenue. Police and fire personnel responded, and no injuries were reported. The collision remains under review by the South Pasadena Police Department’s Traffic Division.
For many Arroyo Vista families, however, the incident is not an isolated event—but part of a pattern they say has been building for months.
The City of South Pasadena leadership scheduled agendized meetings with SPUSD leadership to address multiple issues, including traffic safety concerns according to city sources. It’s worth noting that both the February 24 and March 24 meetings were cancelled by the school district. The cancellations have raised additional concerns among parents, who say the delays come at a time when increased coordination—and concrete action—are urgently needed.
Warnings Raised Months Earlier
Parents have repeatedly called attention to safety concerns at the intersection of Cawston Avenue and Hawthorne Street, a heavily used pedestrian route for students that currently has no crossing guard assigned.
Emails obtained by The South Pasadenan show that concerns were raised as early as March 2025, including reports of vehicles running stop signs and near-miss incidents involving children.
“This is not an isolated incident,” wrote Dr. Sadie Jefferson in a message to city and school officials. “Just this morning, a car ran the stop sign and nearly hit my children.”
In a follow-up communication, Arroyo Vista parent John Jefferson questioned the lack of progress: “What progress has been made to get Arroyo Vista a third crossing guard?”
Parents have consistently pointed to the Cawston and Hawthorne intersection as a critical gap in coverage. While crossing guards are stationed at other nearby intersections—including El Centro and Cawston, and El Centro and Pasadena Avenue—families say a significant number of students cross at Hawthorne, where traffic congestion and turning movements create additional risk.
The South Pasadenan | Parents Push for Third Crossing Guard at Arroyo Vista Elementary Safety Concerns Persist
Temporary Measures, No Permanent Change
In response to earlier concerns, city officials indicated that enforcement and visibility would be increased in the area. Measures included deploying police traffic units, placing temporary digital message boards, and installing signage aimed at encouraging safer driving behavior.
However, as of this week, no additional crossing guard has been assigned to the Cawston-Hawthorne intersection.
Parents say those steps, while appreciated, have not addressed the underlying issue.
“They want action—not more studies or temporary measures,” one parent said.
Questions of Equity and Allocation
The situation has also raised broader questions about how crossing guard resources are distributed across the city.
According to parent communications, Marengo Elementary is staffed with multiple crossing guards—reportedly as many as seven—covering a wide area from Garfield Park to Huntington Drive. Arroyo Vista, by comparison, currently has two.
“All kids deserve to be safe—not just those at one school over another,” Jefferson wrote.
A Known Risk, Revisited
Monday’s collision, though non-injury, has brought renewed attention to those concerns.
While the incident occurred at a different intersection than the one most frequently cited by parents, families say it reflects the same underlying conditions: high traffic volumes, complex vehicle movements, and children navigating crossings without consistent supervision.
For many, it represents precisely the type of scenario they have been warning about.
PHOTO Eric Fabbro | SouthPasadenancom News | Arroyo Vista is a National Blue Ribbon School
New Leadership, Renewed Responsibility
The issue now comes amid a period of transition across key leadership roles tied to school zone safety.
South Pasadena Unified School District welcomed a new superintendent, Dr. Baxter, in fall 2025. The South Pasadena Police Department has appointed a new chief within the past several months, and the City Manager’s office has also seen leadership turnover within the past year.
While it is unclear to what extent these longstanding concerns have been formally briefed to incoming leadership, parents say the issue has been raised repeatedly and should already be part of the public record.
For many families, the recent collision underscores the need for a fresh review—and immediate action—under current leadership.
Parents and South Pasadena Residents are Reorganizing
The South Pasadena Police Department has indicated the March 23 collision is ‘under review’ by its Traffic Division. Meanwhile, parents are continuing to call on both city officials and the South Pasadena Unified School District to address what they describe as a clear and ongoing safety gap.
The South Pasadenan has reached out to the City Manager’s Office, the South Pasadena Police Department, and SPUSD for updated comment.
For Arroyo Vista families, the issue is no longer theoretical. The public is urged to contact the South Pasadena Public Safety Commission to organize concerns: CLICK HERE
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