School Traffic Snarls Raise Hackles—and Concerns

The traffic snarls that result from dozens of cars congregating at a location that involves hundreds of children are bad enough. Parents who so concerned about geting their kid to school on time that they blow through the crosswalk or pull a u-turn not only irritate more conscientious motorists, they also create a serious safety hazard.

Fortunately, that type of parent represents only a small minority of the folks who drive their kids to and from school daily, administrators report.

"For the ones who zoom through the bus lane or park in the fire lane, across the sidewalk or in handicapped spaces, we have many more parents who are looking out not only for their kid, but for the other kids," said Todd McDaniel, principal of Henry Puffer Elementary School.

Among the challenges facing Henry Puffer parents and administrators is the ongoing construction of the Belmont underpass project, which has brought construction materials, many more large vehicles and detours to the area.

"Once the Belmont underpass is done there will be a pull-off parking lane on Haddow, from Belmont to the parking lot," McDaniel said. "Right now it's a ditch, which is not safe."

Puffer has other challenges including its location on busy Belmont Road. Safety requires parents and children to cross at Prairie Avenue, where a crossing guard is on duty.  However, harried students and parents are sometimes attempt to dart across Belmont mid-block.

Administrators at Downers Grove North High School have similar safety concerns about students and staff members crossing Main Street.

"It's a very busy street. There are athletic fields, parking lots. It's a dangerous street with one crosswalk—and many choose not to use it, which makes it even more dangerous," said Dr. Ken Sorenson, assistant principal.

The school has discussed the situation with the village for years, but "we're at the point where we want to have some focused conversations to make sure our kids and staff are safe," Sorenson said. Signage, a reduced speed limit and traffic calming devices will all be discussed.

South High School also had serious traffic concerns until the construction of an additional driveway west off of Springside Avenue was completed in 2009. Although paid for by Community High School District 99, both the village, which conducted traffic studies and communicated with neighbors, and the county, which is responsible for 63^rd Street, were closely involved in the project.

"It has drastically changed how things are done," said Ed Schwarz, associate principal. "We can get kids in and out of here so much quicker and it's safer for emergency vehicles."

It used to be so time-consuming to enter the throng at the start of the school day, from 7:30 to 7:50 a.m., that staff members would dictate their arrival times at the school accordingly, Schwartz said.

Now there are two ways in and out of the parking lot area. "In the parking lot there are close to 400 cars parked at any time and hundreds dropping off over a half-hour to 40 minute period," Schwartz said.

While schools frequently initiate such improvements, sometimes it's parents or neighborhood residents who push for a needed change. The addition this summer of a stop sign at the entrance to the Herrick Middle School Parking at Grant Street and Middaugh Avenues is a recent example.

"In my mind it came about by parents calling the school and letting us know," said Principal Jason Lynde, who passed the information along to Lorie Pilster, business services director for Downers Grove Elementary District 58.

Parents also initiated the designation of Lincoln Avenue as a one-way street during Lester School drop-off and pick-up times. The district also worked with the Traffic and Parking Commission and Village Hall to move a crosswalk near Lester and to get a crossing guard at Florence and Indianapolis avenues, she said.

Pilster, who has worked with the village for years to make the streets safer around schools, says most improvements take years to accomplish.  "When we ask for parking sign changes, they always come very quickly," she said. Crossing guards, however, cost money and the village has a specific criteria for conditions that merit a guard.

"Stop signs are a traffic-flow issue," Pilster said. "The village is very cautious because installing them can affect the traffic somewhere else," by moving it to another through street.

"We first conduct a field study to better understand the problem and determine possible solutions," said Nan Newlon, the village public works director.

"If our investigation leads to a recommendation for changes to traffic or parking the item is reviewed by the Transportation and Parking Commission before it goes to village council for action," she said.  "Our process provides parents, neighbors and school officials the opportunity for input and suggestions."

Pilster also knows that no traffic measure can eliminate the snarls—traffic and otherwise—which inevitably accompany the school-day rush.

"Having been someone who has been yelled out and flipped off when I've been out at the schools, I know it gets people worked up," she said. "You have less than 15 minutes to have 200 cars show up some place and get out. Throw some rain or a snow storm in there and it's even more hectic."