Columbia Ridge traffic solution proposed

EPHRATA - Traffic congestion at Columbia Ridge Elementary School in Ephrata may be leaving students in danger.

At the start and the end of the school day, cars make U-turns in the street, pull into the bus zone, and are often left unattended on the southwest side of the school, Principal Brad Smedley told the Ephrata school board.

Smedley reported to the school board Monday about a plan to enhance pick-up and drop-off zones for buses and parents.

He spent a half hour with city council members, and representatives of the fire department, police and Canfield & Associates, watching traffic before school. Some of the representatives watched traffic after school as well.

"It was rather chaotic," Smedley said.

Parents would pull up to the school and buses would pull up behind them because the parents were in a bus zone. Cars parked on corners inhibit visibility of people leaving the school, he said.

Parents parking across the street from the school walked between parked buses and took their children back between the buses on the way to their cars, he said.

The school is proposing a pull-through area designated for parents, Smedley said. A turnaround area would be constructed at the end of First Street.

The project is part of a plan Smedley had when he became principal at Columbia Ridge one and a half years ago, he said Wednesday.

"There needs to be an appropriate parent pick-up and drop-off area," Smedley said.

The area is needed for student safety, he said.

The estimated cost of the project, including the addition of channelizers on H Street Southeast, signs, and paint on crosswalks and curbs, is nearly $20,000.

District Maintenance Director Rock Witte said the new area would be compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act and provides a safe drop-off area for children in wheelchairs.

Smedley said the proposal includes additional signs at the bus zone, orange paint for the curbs, and channelizers.

"I'm going to talk with the city about what their involvement could be with helping us with the project," Smedley said.

The channelizers are a road issue and he would like to involve the city to make sure the work is done right.