Dallin Elementary School To Host Community Meeting On August 26 Regarding New Arrival/Dismissal Plan In Arlington

Press release from Town of Arlington:

August 19, 2021

The Dallin School is hosting a community meeting to discuss a new plan to improve safety during arrival and dismissal hours for walking and biking students, families, staff, and neighbors. The meeting is on Thursday, August 26, at 7 pm, conducted remotely via Zoom. Register for the meeting in advance.

Changes to the arrival/dismissal plan are recommended as a result of an audit by the Massachusetts Department of Transportation Safe Routes to Schools Program (MassDOT SRTS). Proposed changes include options to alter traffic flow on George Street, create a car-free zone, or designate specific areas for bus and family vehicle drop-off and pick-up. The goal of these proposed changes is to improve safety for Dallin’s 425 students by reducing traffic conflicts and vehicle congestion for a more orderly arrival/dismissal process.

Final proposed traffic and parking changes must be approved by the Select Board. Dallin School staff is working in partnership with Arlington’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) and the Department of Planning and Community Development (DPCD) to conduct public engagement and to assist with implementation of a pilot project. TAC will recommend these changes to the Select Board as a pilot project. Traffic flow will be monitored throughout the fall following implementation. If the pilot is successful, the TAC and Dallin School will seek to make the changes permanent.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is an international program that works to increase safe biking and walking among elementary and middle school students. MassDOT runs statewide SRTS programming that provides technical assistance and educational resources to communities to support walking and biking to schools. The MassDOT SRTS program conducted an arrival dismissal audit for the Dallin Elementary at the request of staff and parents.

For more information regarding the proposed arrival/dismissal plan, contact Samantha Karustis, Assistant Principal of Dallin Elementary at 781-316-3730 or skarustis@arlington.k12.ma.us; or Daniel Amstutz, Senior Transportation Planner in Arlington’s Department of Planning & Community Development at 781-316-3093 or damstutz@town.arlington.ma.us.

This press release was produced by Town of Arlington. The views expressed here are the author’s own.