Every school day, traffic converges in the area in front of the school on Stevenson Ave. where school buses stop and a heavily used cross walk is situated. Normal traffic on Stevenson is always heavy during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times. In addition, the school parking lot is poorly designed to the point of dysfunction. The entrance off Stevenson is inadequate and the parking lot itself cannot safely accomodate the growing number of parent/drivers who wish to use the parking lot as a drop-off point.
It is not a matter of whether a serious accident will happen, it is a matter of ‘when’ a serious accident will happen.
The school also has a large front lawn section… one which is not used for any school purpose… that could easily be converted into a drop-off lane for school buses. If such a lane were constructed, buses would be off the main thoroughfare and children would away from the traffic.
I wonder if Ward Two councillors and the rest of City Council can help address the problem, perhaps actively working with the school board to deal with the situation in an expediant way.
The crosswalk now sports a fulltime adult crossing guard. Bravo! In December, a mother and her child were struck down by a car right before my eyes… not ten feet away from where I also was crossing. The congestion of traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times is rapidly becoming worse. More and more parents drive their children to school. Cars parking on Balsam street now stretch for two blocks or more.
Can council and city staff loook at this situation and contribute to a solution? I know the school principal is extremely concerned about the danger. He recently closed the school parking lot to vehicles other than school staff. Still, parents perform the most amazing parking stunts with no regard for general safety.
Yesterday, to the great amazement of the full-time crossing guard, three vehicles drove through the crosswalk while the crossing lights were on. All were traveling at speds of 60-70K/Hr.
One mini-van dropped children off in front of the school on Stevenson, blocking the lane for school buses.
Two vehicles parked illegally at the intersection of Stevenson and Balsam with their vehicles sticking out onto Stevenson.
In a refreshing change, only one parent parked on the wrong side of Balsam in an attempt to get as close as possible to the school.
Two days ago, a mini-van was denied access to the school parking lot. So the driver skillfully pulled in parallel with the road and the sidewalk, right up onto the grass boulevarde.
Edward Johnson Public School
Edward Johnson School has a problem.
Every school day, traffic converges in the area in front of the school on Stevenson Ave. where school buses stop and a heavily used cross walk is situated. Normal traffic on Stevenson is always heavy during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up times. In addition, the school parking lot is poorly designed to the point of dysfunction. The entrance off Stevenson is inadequate and the parking lot itself cannot safely accomodate the growing number of parent/drivers who wish to use the parking lot as a drop-off point.
It is not a matter of whether a serious accident will happen, it is a matter of ‘when’ a serious accident will happen.
The school also has a large front lawn section… one which is not used for any school purpose… that could easily be converted into a drop-off lane for school buses. If such a lane were constructed, buses would be off the main thoroughfare and children would away from the traffic.
I wonder if Ward Two councillors and the rest of City Council can help address the problem, perhaps actively working with the school board to deal with the situation in an expediant way.
The crosswalk now sports a fulltime adult crossing guard. Bravo! In December, a mother and her child were struck down by a car right before my eyes… not ten feet away from where I also was crossing. The congestion of traffic at school drop-off and pick-up times is rapidly becoming worse. More and more parents drive their children to school. Cars parking on Balsam street now stretch for two blocks or more.
Can council and city staff loook at this situation and contribute to a solution? I know the school principal is extremely concerned about the danger. He recently closed the school parking lot to vehicles other than school staff. Still, parents perform the most amazing parking stunts with no regard for general safety.
Please look into this,
Blain Bovee
Edward Johnson Report:
Yesterday, to the great amazement of the full-time crossing guard, three vehicles drove through the crosswalk while the crossing lights were on. All were traveling at speds of 60-70K/Hr.
One mini-van dropped children off in front of the school on Stevenson, blocking the lane for school buses.
Two vehicles parked illegally at the intersection of Stevenson and Balsam with their vehicles sticking out onto Stevenson.
In a refreshing change, only one parent parked on the wrong side of Balsam in an attempt to get as close as possible to the school.
Two days ago, a mini-van was denied access to the school parking lot. So the driver skillfully pulled in parallel with the road and the sidewalk, right up onto the grass boulevarde.
Blain Bovee