Parents and students alike were happy to see orange-vested folks once again patrolling some of Austin’s busiest intersections Wednesday.

The city-funded crossing guards were not out there on the first day of school Tuesday because they had been cut from the budget — prompting a number of parents to petition city council.

On Tuesday evening, the council decided to fund the guards for a month so the city, as well as the school board and the police, can work on a more long-term solution.

Sparky Bellrichard, who has been working as a guard for 20 years, said he was glad to be back on the street.

“I thought I was retired,” he said with a chuckle.

Bellrichard, who patrols Oakland Avenue at 15th Street near Banfield Elementary, said he and the other guards were wondering why funding was pulled in the first place.

“It doesn’t make sense on a highway like this,” Bellrichard said of not having guards.

The other three guards are posted at Fourth Street and Seventh Avenue northwest, 12th Street and Third Avenue southwest, and 12th Street and 19th Avenue southwest.

Arlene Bednar, whose husband Ben works as a guard, volunteers as one during the first two days of school at Banfield.

She said it’s important to have people stationed at all four locations.

“You can see how busy these intersections are,” Bednar said.

Sandy Okorie agreed with Bednar and said it was good to see patrols again.

“It’s nice knowing that (the kids) are safe out there walking the streets,” Okorie, who is the mother of a Banfield fourth-grader, said.

And Okorie certainly isn’t alone with that sentiment.

“There were a lot of happy parents out there this morning,” Bednar said.