“Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night…” goes the old Postal Service creed, but that phrase could just as easily be applied to Pittsburgh’s crossing guards.
Bike Pittsburgh wants you to show some gratitude to those neon-clad guardians of city crosswalks this Wednesday on Crossing Guard Appreciation Day.
“You can do it by just passing by an intersection where a crossing guard is and saying thank you, you can write them a little card … or even bring them a little treat,” said Jane Kaminski, membership and outreach assistant at Bike Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh has 113 intersections manned by crossing guards during the hours in the morning and afternoon when kids are walking to and from school.
Kaminski said crossing guards draw attention to intersections, which benefits people using all forms of transportation.
“Crossing guards are vital to the safety, not only of our school children, but anyone on foot and truly all traffic passing through those intersections,” Kaminski said.
Cathy Gamble is in charge of the intersection near Bike Pittsburgh’s Lawrenceville offices. Kaminski said she always looks forward to seeing Gamble every morning on her way to work.
“I think it’s amazing that they’re so positive all the time,” Kaminski said. “I just want them to see that people appreciate their service.”
Although Bike Pittsburgh may focus primarily on bicycle advocacy, Kaminski said Crossing Guard Appreciation Day is the first of many pedestrian-focused initiatives.
“We are really about livable streets, so we want to people walking and biking, using transit, and driving all peacefully and safely,” Kaminski said.
To find your neighborhood crossing guard, check out the map on Bike Pittsburgh's website.
