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Area Schools Resolve Traffic Issues

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School is back in session, and on the first two days of school an unprecedented number of car riders left the Toombs County School System searching for answers to ease the heavy traffic flow. Many parents of Toombs County students complained of outrageous wait times when dropping their kids off in the mornings. Many reported spending over half an hour in drop-off lines, which made punctuality impossible for the students.

The Toombs County Schools administration recognized the issue and released a statement promising parents that the issue would be addressed. “We have had a wonderful start to the school year! School traffic is always more congested at the beginning of the year, but with an unprecedented number of car riders, our traffic patterns have been slower than usual. We are working with law enforcement to alleviate traffic issues. In addition, we are adjusting our morning drop off times.”

These adjusted morning drop-off times began on August 5, as Lyons Primary School, Toombs County Middle School, and Toombs County High School began accepting students at 7:10 a.m., Toombs Central Elementary School began accepting students at 7:15 a.m., and Lyons Upper Elementary School began accepting students at 7:20 a.m. According to administration, this change helped to solve many of the traffic and punctuality issues, as traffic flow was less congested throughout the drop-off period. Law enforcement officers are also working to alleviate the traffic situation around school dismissal times by helping to guide traffic to and from the appropriate schools. This guidance helps prevent traffic from traveling in the wrong direction and causing further congestion and delay. “We apologize for any delays, and we are thankful for your patience as we work to alleviate any traffic congestion,” the school system administration stated. Parents are encouraged to review the Toombs County Schools social media pages for further daily updates on the situation.

Vidalia City Schools

The administration of Vidalia City Schools is also working to ensure that traffic for the car rider dropoff and pickup lines flows smoothly. To accomplish this, the flow of traffic at Sally D. Meadows Elementary School has been altered to separate vehicles carrying 2nd and 3rd grade students from those with 4th and 5th grade students.

Traffic for 2nd and 3rd grade students should turn left onto Waters Drive from Broadfoot Boulevard. Once entering Waters Drive, drivers should turn right into the school parking lot and proceed clockwise around the parking lot to enter the drop-off line, which begins in front of the covered sidewalk, before exiting back onto Waters Drive. The 4th and 5th grade car rider traffic enters the school property from Broadfoot Boulevard at the school’s front entrance. Once entering the property, drivers should turn right to proceed to the drop-off line. Two lanes of traffic form at the crosswalk before exiting onto Aimwell Road.

According to Sally D. Meadows Elementary School Principal Scott Stephens, the pattern seems to be successful in regulating the flow of traffic. “The new pattern is working really well. We appreciate everyone’s help and cooperation,” he commented.

No issues have arisen in the other schools within the system, as Vidalia Police Department officers help to ensure that congestion during drop-off and pick-up times is kept to a minimum. Montgomery County Schools According to Assistant Superintendent Brian Barnhill, Montgomery County Schools are off to a great start regarding pickup and drop-off line efficiency. “We have plenty of staff in place, along with the assistance of our School Resource Officers, which help to manage the car lines, so we have not experienced any issues,” Barnhill said.

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