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Fairfax County crossing guard cuts prompt safety concerns
Fairfax County leaders are reconsidering a decision to eliminate high school crossing guards as parents raise safety concerns.
VIENNA, Va. - Fairfax County leaders are taking another look at the impact of eliminating crossing guards at high schools after parents and officials raised concerns about student safety and traffic. It comes days after students returned to school.
What we know:
The county eliminated high school crossing guards this year as part of budget reductions estimated to save roughly $1.9 million. Crossing guards remain in place for elementary and middle school students.
But three days into the school year, some parents say they’re already seeing problems.
Tamara O’Neill, president of the Sangster Elementary PTA, has a daughter who is a sophomore at West Springfield High School. Her daughter and friends regularly cross near Rolling Road and Grigsby Road, an intersection O’Neill says has become more concerning without a crossing guard.
"On the first day of school, we just watched the traffic," O’Neill said. "There were some harrowing times where you could almost see — there were near accidents already just within three days. So this is absolutely a problem."
"Our children aren’t safe crossing that road," she added. "We need to find a solution, an immediate solution."
O’Neill said a group of West Springfield parents is already exploring temporary safety measures, including bright reflective crossing flags that students and pedestrians could carry across the road to make themselves more visible to drivers.
She said parents view the flags as a possible short-term measure, not a replacement for crossing guards.
"What we really want in there are crossing guards back," O’Neill said.
Fairfax supervisors order another review
Fairfax County officials have defended the decision, noting that the county had been the only jurisdiction in Northern Virginia providing crossing guards at high schools.
But the issue returned to the Board of Supervisors this week as officials heard concerns about traffic backups, delayed buses and students navigating some of the county’s busiest roads.
County Supervisor Pat Herrity, who opposed eliminating the guards, said the experience during the first days of school shows that a one-size-fits-all approach may not work.
"I think that there are some schools that can do without high school crossing guards. Clearly, some did already, but I think there’s some that are desperately going to need them," Herrity said.
He pointed to roads near West Springfield and Edison high schools as examples.
"When you look at Rolling Road, when you look at Franconia Road… these are pretty major roads, heavily trafficked, four lanes," Herrity said.
The Board of Supervisors has now directed county staff to identify immediate problems at affected locations, determine possible ways to address them and calculate what those fixes would cost.
Staff is expected to report back by Sept. 15.
County chairman defends original decision
Board of Supervisors Chairman Jeff McKay defended the county’s decision to cut crossing guards, saying it followed reviews by police and coordination with Fairfax County Public Schools.
"The decision regarding high school crossing guards, in May of 2026, was not made lightly and was informed by data and research, site reviews conducted by the Fairfax County Police Department (FCPD), and coordination with Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) on traffic, bus and Kiss and Ride operations," McKay said in a statement.
McKay also stressed that crossing guards serving younger students were not affected by the cuts.
"As we worked through a challenging budget year, we carefully evaluated where changes could be made responsibly, and the research and analysis gave us confidence that this was an area where we could do so without compromising our commitment to student safety," he said.
What's next:
McKay said the county will continue monitoring conditions and work with FCPS and police to address safety concerns that emerge.
Herrity said the county’s review could ultimately result in crossing guards returning to some high schools while officials pursue longer-term solutions, including traffic signals and other infrastructure changes.
For parents like O’Neill, the concern is what happens in the meantime.
"The time is for action," she said. "Our children are literally in immediate danger every day when they’re crossing that road."
The Source: Information in this article is from Fairfax County leaders and original FOX 5 DC reporting.