Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Facilities topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
District and engineers unveil middle‑school site redesign to ease Market Street queuing and add raised crosswalk
Summary
Mechanicsburg administrators and KCI engineers presented a site redesign that reconfigures circulation to move parent vehicle queues to the back of campus, adds a new parking lot, and installs a raised pedestrian crossing with refuge islands; the plan aims to double queuing capacity and improve pedestrian visibility while preserving fire access.
District leadership and KCI engineers presented an updated site plan for Mechanicsburg Middle School intended to improve arrival and dismissal flow, reduce backups on Market Street and add parking for school events.
Dr. Bits summarized the goals: reimagine arrival/dismissal circulation, increase queuing capacity, eliminate vehicle backups on Market Street and provide adequate parking for campus buildings. The conceptual solution pushes parent drop‑off circulation to the rear of campus to lengthen queueing and reduce zigzagging through tight front parking areas.
KCI’s Scott Bell and Ian Preston outlined technical details: converting rows of head‑in parking to dual 11‑ft inbound lanes, a wider outbound lane to allow bypassing, and a stacked queuing pattern that would reduce turning‑movement backups. To protect pedestrians, the design includes a raised pedestrian crossing with refuge islands and high‑visibility ladder markings; engineers said the raised crossing calms vehicular speeds and improves sight lines for walkers. "The best part about a raised crossing is just that it sets off the pedestrian crossing," one consultant said, noting the signal and pavement‑marking options that can be added.
Board members asked whether the crossing should be stop controlled rather than yield, and whether temporary staffing or flashing beacons will be needed during the rollout. Consultants recommended preserving an existing stop sign in advance and using the raised crossing with high‑visibility markings; they suggested staff presence the first weeks as an option if compliance issues arise. The team also reviewed stormwater work tied to the new parking area and an updated cost estimate and timeline; a refined construction estimate was presented and the board was told permitting conversations would follow with township and county conservation officials, aiming for a potential summer 2027 construction window.
The board asked for continued design refinements and requested follow‑up on signing, beacons and staging for the first weeks of implementation.
