Student board member urges light, crossing guards after drone footage shows afternoon bottleneck

Preston, the student board member, showed drone footage of the high school student parking lot and described a recurring afternoon bottleneck that he said can take 10 to 15 minutes to clear on busy days.

Preston proposed several short- and long-term steps to ease congestion and improve pedestrian safety: consult a civil engineer; consider a traffic signal that could run flashing red most of the day and switch to active red/green control at dismissal (about 2:30-2:35 p.m.); assign a staff member or crossing guard to direct pedestrians and vehicle flow; and add campus wayfinding signs so visitors can find the gym, high school and middle school without creating extra traffic.

"Yes, and I would I would feel pretty confident making the statement that if we had that traffic light, this line right here wouldn't be as long," Preston said while pointing to footage of the backup. He also noted that a redesign tied to a recent capital project left old and new parking markings on the same lot, which increases confusion about where drivers should park and how lanes form.

Board members and staff discussed short-term mitigations: assigning staff to direct traffic, reviewing the egress from a back access road (currently unpaved) and asking the districtengineer to study options. The superintendent said the district will share Preston's presentation with its engineering contractors for review.

Preston also recommended clearer external signage so out-of-district visitors to sporting events and performances can find campus destinations without adding to the lot's congestion. The board did not make formal policy changes at the meeting; staff will evaluate engineering and staffing options.