Question:
The parking lot of our elementary school is in chaos every morning before school begins, and again in the afternoon when school lets out. In the morning, walkers are mixing with parents dropping off students. In the afternoon, buses sometimes cannot get into our parking lot because so many parents are waiting for their children. I am worried about the air quality around our school due to all those idling vehicles. I am most worried about the safety hazard posed by all those modes mixing in front of our school. What can I do?

–An elementary school principal in northern Minnesota.

Answer:

You can take some comfort in the fact that your school’s situation is not unique; traffic jams surround schools in even the most walkable of neighborhoods.

My first recommendation is to do what you can to reduce demand for those parking spaces. Here is where a Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program can come in handy. Think about conducting a school travel survey of parents to learn more about their attitudes towards SRTS, and to begin the process of identifying barriers to walking to school.

My second recommendation is to move to offsite pick up and drop off locations. This will allow the buses to enter your parking lot. Reducing the traffic around the school will reduce the safety risk to your walkers, reduce the risk of motor vehicle collisions, and the change to an offsite location will eliminate an air pollution hotspot. Perhaps there is a church nearby that will allow the use of its parking lot for this purpose.

My third (and final) recommendation is that you give NCBW a call or consult with the National Center for Safe Routes to School. Each school is unique, so we would be happy to talk to you about your school’s situation, and to point you towards the appropriate resources.

Mark Plotz
NCWB