Easing traffic headaches outside schools

August 13, 2004

Saying that traffic is a problem all day long in East Contra Costa County is an understatement to those who travel Highway 4. Local residents have a joke that if you are planning a trip over the hill, don't forget to bring a bottle of water, because it will be a long trip. The traffic is expected because of the number of commuters who live in the area. East County residents are prepared to deal with the problem and adjust their schedules accordingly.

While they share that frustration along the road as it travels through Antioch and Pittsburg, it isn't expected to be such an annoyance in Oakley and Brentwood, but in some cases during the day those towns are even slower. While several whole columns can be devoted to the subject of roads needed to be improved. The topic today is the traffic issues that pop up before and after kids get out of school.

School is in for everyone now. Last week, the remainder of the kids who are on modified traditional scheduling began. For a city where the majority of the population commutes to work it is amazing how many parents and caregivers are available to pick up their children from school each afternoon. Traffic outside of each of the schools is incredible and generally expected between 2:15 p.m. to 3:30 p.m. every weekday. When that traffic ties up neighborhoods, not many people are affected, but when that traffic ties up Highway 4 people get upset and careless, especially those who are just passing through.

Too many times people try to rush and don't follow traffic laws. The results can be frightening and although Oakley hasn't had any major incidents there are a few traffic hot spots that are waiting to happen.

The parents at Gehringer School are excited about the traffic light on Highway 4 that was added about four months ago. The long-awaited light has helped speed up traffic problems that have been a concern for more years than many of the parents have been driving in and out of the lot. WIth the exception of a new parking lot that is going in and has tied up some of the traffic at the school this past couple of weeks, the light seems to be helping get people in and out of the school turnaround without many hangups.

That doesn't mean that parents shouldn't worry, however. One of the major concerns at Gehringer is the issue of sidewalks on Highway 4. Children who aren't picked up by parents leave the school and walk along the Highway unprotected from the traffic on the road. Last week when driving through the crush of traffic down at that end of town, most of the drivers slowed down to accommodate the kids who were walking along the side of the road. One impatient driver tried to slip past traffic by driving along the unpaved part of the road. Three children had to jump out of the way before they were run over. When the driver started to speed up past the traffic he didn't seem to notice the kids until it was almost too late.

Another problem that people should be on the lookout for is Cypress Road and Highway 4. The middle school, and soon elementary school on Cypress Road usually provide quite a bit of traffic in the afternoon. Some parents hoping to pick up their kids in a rush have their kids waiting on Highway 4 just behind the hardware store. The hope is that if the parent times it right they can pull in to the no-parking area and pick up their kids quick and get right on the highway. Since Delta Vista Middle School opened many have noted near miss-accidents as parents pull in and out of the spot to pick up their kids. It may take longer to drive to the middle school, but it would be safer for all concerned to follow the traffic rules. If the school is too far away, have the kids walk to a safer location for pickup.

I'm sure all the responsible parents already do this, but please take the time to talk to your children and make sure they understand that although the road is called Main Street, it is really still a busy state highway. Kids should walk responsibly along the road, which means no playing around and playing chicken with the cars, which has also been a problem, especially with the elementary-age kids who are just being kids.

Roni Gehlke's column on life in Oakley appears each week in the Brentwood News.

Distributed by the Contra Costa Times

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