Officials Observe Traffic Flow at Malcolm White School

Two sets of eyes, a little like Santa Claus, are watching the in the mornings and afternoons at the to see if drivers dropping off and picking up students are bad or good about following school traffic rules.

Before making any , a police officer and a school department employee observed two morning drop offs, once outside and visible to drivers, and once from inside the school, according to David Dunkley, school building facilities director.

They plan to observe afternoon pick ups this week, Dunkley said Tuesday.

Morning drop off went pretty well, Dunkley said Tuesday, especially when they stood outside the school. Dunkley went on drop off and pick up patrol with police Sgt. Paul Tenney, Dunkley said.

The problem with traffic at the Malcolm White School, Dunkley said, is that traffic enters the school property from two driveways, then bottlenecks, he said, where the two meet. One entrance leads traffic up the center of the property; the other, in on the side farthest from the front door.

Traffic further congests, he said, when the school bus comes in and, for a few minutes, discharges or picks up students.

Dunkley told members of the School Committee Resource Subcommittee May 17 that he had an idea on how to make traffic flow better:  between the White School and into a one-way-out exit at drop off only.

That’s not going to happen, Dunkley said Tuesday.

Instead, he said he and White School Principal Peter Roketenetz will talk and try to ease the traffic congestion some other way, Dunkley said.

The issue arose because traffic clogs up in front of the school at pick up and drop off now, according to discussion a the subcommittee meeting and about 60 more students will be moving to the White School this coming fall from the Clapp School, which will close at the end of this month.

by Woburn Patch at pick up at the White School on May 19, said school traffic was tough.

Dunkley said he had no idea when he and the principal would come up with a list of traffic decongestants.

“My thought is on graduation,” which is this coming Sunday, he said.