Every morning, Shadow Ridge High School students and parents face the same frustrating challenge, the long line of cars down North Decatur Blvd. and West Horse Dr. What should be a quick drive to school in the mornings turns into a 20-minute wait at the four-way intersection, where only one car gets through at a time. The result of this is students showing up late to class, and as they know the tardies add up and become progressive discipline. Parents are then running late due to the long time for student drop off and the traffic after exiting the school is just as bad.
The biggest issue seems to come from the stop sign at the intersection. Since it’s a busy area during school hours, the flow of traffic just can’t keep up.
“I leave my house at 6:15 every morning, but some days I don’t get to school until 7:00,” said sophomore Emily Torres, who takes the city bus and then walks to Shadow Ridge. “The bus just sits there waiting because cars barely move. It’s so irritating, especially when we’re all tired already and are just trying to get to class on time everyday.”
Parents who drive their kids to school feel the same frustration and are just as powerless in this situation. Many say the stop sign system is outdated and something needs to change because clearly it’s not working anymore. “I’ve been stuck in that line for nearly 25 minutes on most mornings,” said Sarah Martinez, a parent of a junior. “It’s chaos. Everyone’s trying to turn, and no one knows whose turn it is. A stoplight would let at least 10 cars pass and have students cross the street safely.”
Teachers are also impacted by the backup in this situation, students being late not only results in students losing educational time but the teacher has to re-explain things or even startclass 15 minutes after the bell just to try to not set students back. Mr.Kramer, an English teacher here at Shadow Ridge, said, “You can see the frustration on everyone’s faces. Sometimes I feel bad watching my students try to catch up, but I must move on and proceed with my lesson plan.”
Installing a traffic light at the intersection of N. Decatur Blvd. and W. Horse Dr. could be the best long-term fix. A light would regulate the flow of cars, keep city and school buses from getting stuck, and make crossing safer for students who walk or even bike. Shadow Ridge High School is known for its strong sense of community, but the morning traffic makes getting there a challenge for everyone. Hopefully, with some attention from city planners and support from the school community they can hope for a peaceful ride to school in the mornings for everyone.
