By Leah Bowness
Staff Writer
It has been a few weeks since the new pick up and drop off routes have been in place, and students and parents have adapted well. But, why did we need this change, and if so will it last?
According to Paul Starratt, Westford Town Engineer, it was the police department that initiated the change in routes here at Westford Academy.
“The Police Department was concerned about the congestion on Patten Road and the vehicle-pedestrian conflicts. Cars were dropping off students in the roadway and then crossing into the oncoming lane to leave the area,” said Starratt.
The school has grown in size over the years, making the pick-up-drop-off system out dated and unaccustomed to the large size of the student body. According to Starratt, the increase in the number if kids being dropped off was a noticeable difference, and more students means more traffic.
“The enrollment has increased at WA and therefore more traffic is coming to the site each morning and afternoon,” said James Antonelli.
The increase in student body was a big cause of this change, and both the town engineer and Antonelli had been anticipating this. So naturally they have been working on the plan for a while. When asked about the work done on the school Antonelli said, “It was very collaborative.”
This collaborative effort in putting a new routing system in place has been a success in many ways.
“Vehicles are not backed up on Patten Road, students are not being dropped on in the roadway and traffic is flowing more smoothly,” said Starratt.
Some of the seniors disagree and complaints have been heard referencing the new traffic between the senior parking lot and the school. Traffic from the parents dropping off their students in back has been making crossing to get to the school harder.
The town engineer believes that this should not be a problem.
“Operators have a responsibility to drive at safe and reasonable speeds, especially in school zones and in parking areas where students are present,” said Starratt.
Although this change feels new to many of the students and faculty it actually isn’t.
“The current arrangement is actually the “old” way of doing things. The bus drop off and pick up was in front of the school years ago,” said Starratt.