Haldane proposes April traffic pilot to separate buses and cars at school campus

Haldane School District leaders told the Cold Spring Board of Trustees on Jan. 20 that they will run a traffic pilot in April to test new routing for buses and family drop-offs ahead of planned site work tied to a voter-approved capital project.

"This was something that the voters and community approved back in November 2024 for 28000000 dollars," the district presenter said, describing the project—s additions, STEAM labs, student support suites and security upgrades. The district said architects and two consultants recommended separating bus and car traffic to reduce conflict between vehicles and pedestrians on campus.

Under the pilot, buses would enter campus via Route 9D and stage at the flagpole to unload elementary and middle-school students before proceeding to the high school. Families would use Cedar Street and a one-way lane on the back of campus to drop off students in front of playground sidewalks, then exit toward Mountain Avenue. The district described the vehicle counts it used to plan the pilot as a rough snapshot from a study posted on its website.

Trustees and residents pressed the district on safety details, including emergency access and crossing-guard placement. One board member warned that Craigside Drive is narrow and could impede first responders, prompting staff to say further coordination with the sheriff and ambulance corps is needed. The district said it will staff the pilot with six to eight visible school employees wearing high-visibility vests, add signage, make a short video and issue email blasts and social posts to inform families.

The board and district agreed to schedule follow-up planning meetings with police and first responders before the pilot begins in mid-April. The district said the pilot's results will inform final roadway changes for the capital project and that the pilot is intended to reveal what works and what needs adjustment.