Traffic better at Springfield schools

District expanded some lots, changed flow to improve safety for parents, students.

A $1.7 million traffic flow and parking lot expansion project this summer has relieved congestion and improved safety at several Springfield City Schools, according to district officials.

“I got a lot of smiles and grins and waves from parents, and they were pleased with the improvements we had made,” Superintendent David Estrop said about the first few days of the school year last week. “It clearly improved the overall safety situation.”

The project included parking lot expansions, more handicapped spaces, sidewalk extensions, additional exterior lighting and traffic flow changes at Perrin, Lagonda, Fulton, Kenwood, Lincoln and Horace Mann elementary schools, and Kenton Elementary/Roosevelet Middle.

One person picking up students from Perrin Woods Elementary School Monday afternoon praised the changes there.

“I think this is one of the best investments that they’ve done,” said Brenda Riggins, who was waiting on her grandchildren to get out of school.

“I think it’s safer for everybody. The kids aren’t crossing and cars aren’t going around” in a half-circle area in front of the school that was used for drop-off and pick-up, she said.

Since the conversion of a staff parking lot to a visitor/parent lot and added spaces, the Perrin pick-up and drop-off area is now considered a “safe zone” where no cars are allowed to park before and after the school bell, said Bruce Williams, a volunteer traffic guard and member of the Peace Keepers, Springfield Chapter.

The major issue now is enough visible signage for drivers picking up kids, he said.

“Engineers and higher-up supervisors, they understand the flow of the traffic, but the common ordinary citizen, it’s a little bit for them to take in,” Williams said.

Riggins is familiar with traffic issues at both Lagonda Elementary School and Perrin Woods.

Three of her grandchildren — now in first, second and fourth grade at Perrin — attended Lagonda two years ago, and it sometimes took up to 40 minutes to pick them up and drive to Sherman Avenue, less than a mile away.

And at Perrin just last year, there was severe congestion, and it took quite awhile for those trying to leave to get out, she said.

“Everyone tried to pile in, and you’d get a line way back there,” Riggins said, pointing to the entrance to the lot. “So you’re waiting 15, 20 minutes, 25 minutes before you can even get up here to get your kids.”

And it was difficult to get out, she said.

“It was just congested over here because it was only one way in and one way out. Now there’s more than one way you can go,” she said.

Having the Peace Keepers controlling traffic has helped too, she said. They direct drivers where to go and where to park.

“There’s always, when you change traffic patterns, a little confusion, but I was at Perrin Woods both days and the parents caught on very quickly,” Estrop said.

The story was the same at the other schools as well, he said.

“I’m just pleased with everyone’s patience and understanding and caution as the kids get back to school, and I appreciated the drivers being sensitive to the fact that the kids are back on the street,” Estrop said.

Congestion became a concern, particularly at student drop-off and pick-up areas, because they were initially designed to accommodate traffic levels when the district bused students who lived a mile or more from their school, officials have said.

Springfield reduced busing to those who live more than two miles from their school, so congestion increased as more parents dropped off and picked up their children.

It was paid for through a 2.2-mill bond issue approved by voters in May, according to the district.

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