Traffic before and after school is terrible to say the least.

Parents hate sitting in it and try so hard to be the first in and first out they don’t even realize they are a part of the problem.

If only you were able to tell them that.

Unfortunately, a remark such as, “Mom/Dad, you’re just making the traffic worse” will most likely get you in trouble. Many people think that the roundabouts were what made the traffic what it is. Surprising as it may sound, they are not necessarily the problem.

Mr. Tom Nipper helped explain the reason for unnecessary traffic. One problem is using the student parking lot for pick up after school.

“I think that it creates more traffic for the students who are already trying to leave the parking lot. It’s unfair that the parking lot meant for students is used as a pick-up area when everyone is trying to leave. I understand that the pick-up area gets backed up, but so does everywhere else.”

Many others are frustrated that parents are using the student parking lot as a pick-up. When people use that to pick up their kids, they are congesting the parking lot traffic, which affects the flow getting in and out. So now, all the time you spend in the student parking lot, you could’ve been down the road if you had used the pick-up drop-off lane.

Another cause of more traffic is the use of the teacher parking lot. There is no logic in using that parking lot whatsoever. You can enter by the tennis courts or through the roundabout. The only exit though is the way in by the tennis courts. So by using that parking lot if you enter from the roundabout you are going further down the road from where you started, creating more traffic.

Another thing to consider is walking on the overpass and getting picked up on Millbrook. We have a safe campus, and there are plenty of students, staff, and parents all around after school. Just because school gets out at 2:06 doesn’t mean you have to leave right at 2:06. We are high school students, it is okay to hang out with friends for 15 to 20 minutes and wait for things to clear up. When people are rushing, they are more likely to cut someone off and disrupt the flow of traffic.

The same with dropping off your student – it is okay to drop them off on Millbrook and have them walk on the overpass. It cuts down tons of time and if you and your friends get dropped off then walk together, you will be safe. Simply go in through the roundabout and through the pick-up/drop off and you will be out a lot faster. No need to use the student parking lot, or the teacher parking lot. Instead, go across the street, or wait about 15 minutes to come and go through the roundabout entrance.

If everyone were to do this, traffic would not be anywhere near as bad as it is now.