Students and parents are still getting used to the new traffic pattern. Here is your refresher on driving and parking with the ongoing bond construction projects at the high school.
The drive entering the high school will be used only for traffic entering the school, the previous “exit” lane will be used for high school juniors/sophomores to park, and the previous “enter” lane will be used for parents and seniors to either drop off their students or park in the senior/staff parking lot.
To reduce the leading cause of traffic, parents and students will not be able to turn left on 148th; traffic cones will guide cars to the northernmost “right only” lane (see graphic).
The traffic pattern is expe
cted to be maintained until construction on and in the school is completed, roughly in 2028, as the current construction zone will remain a staging area. The field house project on the east has blocked off the normal staff lot in the rear of the school, while the two-story secure entrance and administrative wing is being constructed in the front. Both projects began in spring of this year.
The traffic solution has made a noticeable difference in traffic levels, as Tony Bush, assistant principal, said, “There is still traffic on 148th, but it is moving, as opposed to stopped.” He went on to say that “parents and students are also starting to come earlier, which is helping.”
The primary purpose of the new pattern is to alleviate a “bottleneck” problem caused by parents and students turning into the school and getting stu
ck by cars, leaving the school and turning left.
“We could stand out there every day and micromanage, but we need to figure out the traffic patterns so that it is sustainable,” Bush said.
The bond initiative to upgra
de the high school, which also includes a remodeled library and other improvements, was approved by voters in 2023.
