By Sara Ballenger

With the start of school this week came more morning traffic as parents shuttled students to school.

This year, with the closure of Bullis-Purissima School in Los Altos Hills, Santa Rita students going to Egan Camp School and Loyola students moving to Blach Camp School, more students will be crossing Foothill Expressway and taking new routes.

Los Altos School District officials had hired a traffic consultant to look at traffic issues with students moving between campuses, but decided to go with the recommendations of the Los Altos Police Department.

“With the changes that are happening in our schools, we had to look at potential traffic flow problems and increased pedestrian traffic,” said Officer Matt Hartley.

“We will have officers at the intersection of El Monte Avenue and Foothill Expressway, Miramonte Avenue and Covington, a new crossing guard at El Monte and Giffin, a community service officer at West Portola Avenue and Los Altos Avenue, and crossing guards at Almond Avenue and North Clark, Almond and South Clark, Springer Road and Rosita Avenue, Covington Road and Hayman, Oak Avenue and

and Grant Road, Grant and Foohill Expressway,. Grant and Morton,

and Portland Avenue and Carmel Terrace. “

The police department worked with the school district in determining which intersections may need crossing guards.

“We went with the school district and looked at all of the intersections to maintain or add crossing guards to,” said Los Altos Police Chief Don Johnson. “We added a traffic officer at the Miramonte and Covington intersection. The purpose for that is to make sure traffic flows smoothly on Miramonte, north and south, because of increased commuters and pedestrian traffic.”

The police department will be evaluating several of the new locations to see wether or not to permanently station a crossing guard or officer at those locations.

The department expects to make those evaluations in October, Hartley added.

As for the first day of school, Hartley, who was stationed at the Miramonte and Covington intersection said traffic was hectic.

“There were high volumes of traffic and heavy pedestrian and bike traffic,” Hartley said. “We assisted in the traffic flow, but until parents and people using the roadways become familiar with where they want to go, it was just an onslaught to the school.”

Hartley added that the heaviest traffic seemed to be between 8:10 a.m. and 8:20 a.m. and he suggested that parents leave earlier for school or choose alternate routes.

Hartley and the LAPD will also be at the intersections to assist traffic and students when school lets out for the day.

“This is all still in the evaluation phase, because of the added traffic of the camp schools, we are there to make sure the students get to and from school safelty,” Hartley said.