Supporters say vacating Tobin Street is needed to keep Renton High students safe and provide on-campus fields

Supporters of the Renton High School campus project told the council vacating South Tobin Street is essential to student safety and to creating equitable athletic facilities.

"If this vacation isn't granted, the baseball field shrinks below Washington Interscholastic Activities Association standards, meaning Renton High School can't host varsity games on its own campus," said Karina Ruiz, an architect on the Renton High replacement project, arguing the change is needed so students would not have to cross an active public street multiple times a day. Principal Drew O'Connell added the district will cooperate with public safety agencies and provide emergency access if the street is closed.

Teachers and coaches framed the proposal as a safety and equity measure. Josh Willicky, a Renton physical-education teacher, said roughly 420 physical-education students might otherwise cross Tobin on a given day and that vacating the street would create a more secure campus. Alfred de Blasio, Renton High's athletic director, read an athletic-trainer statement that said the lack of on-campus practice fields creates scheduling conflicts and safety concerns when students must travel along Airport Way.

Proponents acknowledged traffic trade-offs but said detours are reasonable compared with the long-term safety and program benefits. Multiple speakers — including bond oversight member Michael Westgard — said the project uses planned bond funding and would expand public access to turf fields when school is not in session.

The council has scheduled transportation committee consideration of the school-district street vacations, including South Tobin and South Tilikum streets, at an upcoming meeting.