Traffic problems continue to vex SPS superintendent

The traffic problem around Sidney Public Schools continues to vex Superintendent Jay Ehler. He encourages parents to obey the rules about dropping children off for the safety of the children.

Ehler says that the school board has applied to the council to place new signs around the schools to encourage parents to obey rules about drop off and pick up.

Ehler hopes that people will consider their actions around the facilities: are they parking on wrong side of street? Are they stopping in no parking zones?

Ehler said that there has been a problem with parents parking in illegal spots, like loading zones and both red and yellow zones. Parents have also parked on the wrong side of the street so that children have to cross traffic to get to or from school. Some pause in the middle of streets to pick up and drop their children off.

Ehler wants parents and children to be coached, so that parents approach as close to designated area as possible in order to keep children safe. Ehler added that most parents do good jobs at obeying the parking rules; he just overall wants to improve the safety of children.

According to Ehler, police presence helps encourage the parents to obey the rules while the policeman is there, but once the officer leaves, parents fall back into bad habits.

Brent Jeffers, principal of North Elementary and South Elementary, says that at South Elementary, they have tried to implement a “kiss and go.” Parents are asked to drop kids off on north side at the northwest corner of the school property, so that children can get out and walk to school. This helps with congestion at the back part of school. Children are dismissed at the far door and Jeffers hopes that would help with pick up problems.

In addition to those measures, the school moved buses to the south side of the building, which seemed to aleviate some of the issues. Jeffers also discourages parents from driving down 12th Avenue to drop off and pick up children so that they won’t have to walk across the street.

Jeffers said that at North Elementary, dismissal at three sides of school has been in effect. Buses go to the north side of North Elementary, so parents should avoid parking at this approach.

He added that they have been doing what they feel is best for the safety of children and doing everything that they can to make it safer for children. They do not want children on the busy streets.

Police officers assist as much as possible. At South Elementary, officers helped monitor the traffic a number of times. Jeffers encourages everyone to drive slowly around school areas.

Brandon Ross, principal of Sidney Middle School, says “Our issue is safety out front when picking students up because parents will park in the yellow bus loading zone. Often the bus cannot get to the curb because cars are in the way. Then students have to cross traffic to get on and off the bus. We have put our yellow cones to prevent cars from parking there. We have also asked parents to park of the south of the school (Linden Street) when picking up their children.”

– Lisana Eckenrode