Traffic flow, parking changes at schools

The frustrating and sometimes dangerous traffic situation at Muldown Elementary could see some relief this school year.

Buses will no longer be allowed to park at the school entrance, which should eliminate congestion and some safety concerns with sight-distances, said school maintenance supervisor Chad Smith.

The buses now will park about 20 feet to the south of the entry.

“That should help with driver vision,” Smith said. “People couldn’t see students crossing the street with the buses parked there.”

He gave one example where a student dropped a piece of paper in the street.

“The driver had to slam on their brakes,” Smith said. “We’ll move the buses to make a clear path of sight for people driving in.”

Also to help with safety, a gate will be installed on the street connecting Muldown to the high school to keep drivers from speeding through the area. The gate will be opened when buses line up, then closed after they leave.

The tight parking at Muldown also could see some alleviation.

As many as 10 new parking spaces are being added to the lot near the kindergarten wing of the school. The hope is that staff will use these extra spaces, freeing up spots for parents to use in the main lot at the school entrance.

Trustee Nick Polumbus was unsure about putting staff in the lot. He said it might be better used as a drop-off and pick-up area for kindergarten students.

“I like the idea of kindergarten being contained in the back,” he said.

Parking changes are planned for the high school, as well.

Parking on the east edge of the property near the wrestling room will now be parallel spaces. This change was made due to safety issues with vehicles backing out in a congested area.

The lot near the high school boilers will be painted with slanted spaces and use a one-way circular traffic pattern.

The street along the south side the high school also will be one-way, with parking reserved for buses, staff and Whitefish Independent High School students.

Both of the school lots were resurfaced this summer, allowing crews to paint the new spaces.

“These are little or no cost items that we could do to address the parking needs right away,” Smith said.

The parking changes came from the Muldown Project Task Force that is discussing a planned renovation at the elementary school. A traffic study has been conducted but results aren’t yet available.

Superintendent Heather Davis Schmidt said there will be more discussion about improving parking and traffic flow once the study is complete.

“This is just the first step in a longer process,” she said. “There is more of a conversation to be had about parking and how to improve safety.”