There’s a new traffic pattern at DeKalb County High School this year, and DCHS has released a new map showing the new traffic flow for motorists entering and leaving the high school during the mornings and afternoons. Everyone is urged to follow the new guidelines by entering and exiting the campus in the same direction in order to reduce traffic congestion.
Motorists are asked to enter the campus by turning right off Highway 70 (West Main Street), in the lane nearest the football field side, for student pickup and drop off in front of the school, and when leaving to make only right hand turns onto Highway 70 (West Broad Street). They are asked to use West Main Street, toward downtown Smithville if needing to go that direction.
Buses are to enter the campus off Highway 70 in the bus lane nearest and gym and cafeteria for student pickup and drop off and to exit by the cafeteria toward the middle school. Bus lanes are to be kept clear at all times when buses are coming and going between 7:10-7:45 a.m. and from 2:30-3:10 p.m. each day.
“Coming in and out of the high school we have two entrances (off Highway 70 or West broad Street) or three if you include West Main Street and a lot of times in the mornings and afternoons traffic tends to get a little backed up or busy with as many students as we have coming in and out of our parking lot,” said Assistant DCHS Principal Thomas Cagle.
“The idea of the map is to show the bus drivers, parents, and students who are coming in and out of the school at different times of the day whether its morning or afternoon what we are expecting as far as coming in and out of the school to help with the flow of traffic to make it as efficient as we possibly can with the available space at the high school to get everyone in and out in a timely manner,” said Cagle.
“The two biggest things from the map is when students and parents are leaving the high school we are asking them to make right hand turns only on Highway 70 and no left hand turns and if they need to go left back toward town to use West Main Street as their way to turn left and go back to town to avoid holding up traffic by trying to cross those lanes to get out into the flow of traffic turning left on Highway 70. We are hoping people will work with us and make those right-hand turns coming out onto Highway 70 and if they need to make a left hand turn to take West Main,” Cagle continued.
“The other is the bus lane, making sure we only have buses coming in and out of that lane in the afternoon, so we don’t hinder bus drivers from getting in and getting those students,” he added.
