Wasilla Assembly reviews safety concerns for Shaw and Birch Street school access

During the recent Assembly meeting on May 20, 2025, concerns were raised regarding a critical infrastructure project aimed at improving access to Shaw Elementary School and the new Birch Street Charter School in Wasilla. The project, which is currently in the design phase, includes three major components that directly impact the safety and convenience of students and parents.

The first element focuses on enhancing the Wasilla Fish Hook and Paradise Lane intersection, a site identified as particularly hazardous during school drop-off and pick-up times. With the anticipated enrollment of approximately 425 students at Birch Street Charter School, the intersection's safety is expected to deteriorate further without improvements. Community members emphasized the need for a controlled intersection featuring multiple turning lanes and traffic lights to manage the increased traffic effectively.

The second aspect of the project involves the expansion of Paradise Lane to facilitate access to the new charter school. This extension is seen as essential to accommodate the growing number of vehicles expected during peak school hours. Additionally, there are plans to improve parking lots and queuing lanes on-site to prevent traffic from backing up onto Paradise Lane.

However, not all proposed changes received unanimous support. The connection of Paradise Lane to Foxtrot Avenue was met with strong opposition from residents. Concerns were raised that this connection would lead to increased congestion on nearby residential streets, which are already struggling to handle current traffic levels. Community members warned that adding over 200 round-trip vehicle operations each school day would overwhelm the existing road infrastructure, particularly at the intersection of Bogart and Caribou.

In response to these concerns, community representatives indicated plans to draft a letter or resolution to formally address the issues with the Assembly. They urged Assembly members to remain vigilant about the potential impacts of the project on local neighborhoods.

As the project moves forward, the Assembly's decisions will play a crucial role in ensuring the safety and accessibility of school routes for the community's children. The discussions from this meeting highlight the importance of balancing development with the needs of residents, particularly in areas heavily trafficked by families.