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Residents warn of dangerous Fruitland Avenue school pick‑up traffic; council pledges follow up
Summary
A Fruitland Avenue neighborhood resident described long delays and unsafe maneuvers during school pick‑up and drop‑off. Councilmembers acknowledged the public‑safety concern and asked staff to pursue short‑term measures while the district plans longer‑term improvements.
During general public comment at the Jan. 7 Puyallup City Council meeting, resident Colin White described repeated traffic congestion and safety risks near Fruitland School during student pick‑up and drop‑off times and proposed immediate, low‑cost interventions.
White, who gave his address as 2631 18th Avenue Southwest, said motorists regularly block the travel lane while parents queue between the two driveways at the school. "There's no flagger. That is so dangerous," White said, describing a 28‑minute delay he experienced and saying the shoulder south of the driveways is used inconsistently by parents and could be better organized.
White proposed temporary measures such as painting the area between the two driveways with yellow caution stripes, posting "do not block" signage and directing parents to form their queue on the shoulder to avoid blocking through traffic. He said the school district plans parking improvements that likely won't be complete until the summer and urged short‑term changes to reduce the immediate hazard.
Council response: Councilmember Johnson and the mayor acknowledged the safety concern and said staff and council would continue discussions with the school district. The mayor asked staff to collect the commenter's contact information for follow up. Deputy Mayor King asked White to work with staff and the city manager noted prior conversations with the district.
No formal action: The matter was raised during public comment and the council did not take formal regulatory action at the meeting; members encouraged city staff to engage the school district and consider interim traffic control measures.
