News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Spencer Elementary officials set to enforce stricter traffic rules for child pick-up and drop-off.
School Principal Amanda Binkley said the code enforcement is in an attempt to relieve congestion. Binkley said that the procedures announced have always been in place, but have lately not been followed.
“There are cones that are placed along Sparta Street that prevent from being about to line up and to park,” Binkley said. “And this has just been communicated using the Thrill Share Method which is our method of communication here to parents and to families.”
Binkley said some of the problems persisting before the announcement were parents arriving well before the 7:30 a.m. drop-off time. Binkley said that this would then create a line of traffic on Sparta Street and prevent people from accessing other buildings
“That also blocks traffic to the high school, and to the ambulant service, to generations, to the board of ed, which prevent faculty and staff from being able to arrive on time,” Binkley said. “Also in the afternoons the same thing, the gates are closed so they can’t physically get into the driveway, so they were just lining up on Sparta Street which blocks all traffic in that direction.”
Binkley said the policy enforcement will prevent cars from using the street as a parking lot while waiting for the school gate to open. Binkley said that the street is a thoroughfare and needs to be accessible to all Van Buren County citizens. Binkley said the concern for relieving traffic also comes out of interest in student safety.
“Any time you have a traffic congestion you have a concern about any students that may be walking or just anything in general,” Binkley said. “Or if there were a need for an emergency vehicle to arrive at the school in the afternoon that would be difficult in the event of an emergency.”
Binkley said that the procedures will also help allow the morning drop-off and morning pick-up to go a lot faster. Binkley said that citizens looking to avoid traffic can do so by avoiding Sparta Street between the times of 7:30 a.m. and 8 a.m.
