It’s 7 a.m..Students are rushing from home trying to get to class, but their rush is halted by the multitude of cars that can be seen ahead of them, waiting.
But, this isn’t traffic from a main road or an interstate, it’s the traffic to get into SHS, a school that holds over 2,000 students with a parking lot not up to par with this demand.
The SHS parking lot is unorganized and chaotic for student drivers and car riders alike. From there being only one exit and entrance to the car line disrupting the flow of traffic, there are many dilemmas that cause a major inconvenience for all involved and are unsuitable for future use.
The main cause of the traffic in the parking lot stems from the sole entrance and exit. With just one place for every student driver and car rider to leave and arrive from, the lot becomes congested with significant wait times. This causes problems for many students who have places to be, especially if they are leaving for their job or an appointment.
Student drivers aren’t the only people affected by this single exit and entrance as many parents pick up and drop off their kids from school. This poses a significant problem due to the layout of the parking lot.
This is because the car line flows right into the exit lane and causes a chain reaction of problems. The car line leads into the exit, so if the exit is backed up, then the car line is backed up, which causes unnecessary stress and traffic for all. This is even more of an issue at the end of the day as the car line extends out into the street to get in which then affects anyone trying to get into the car line.
And, let’s not forget about the bright orange barriers that seem to grow everyday, but seem to shrink the exits and entrances. Even though it is necessary to have some sort of separation between
the exit and entrance, there should be an easier and more effective way to make that happen.
These issues combined demand attention from the SHS administration. Although extending the parking lot or changing the direction of the car line may not be the most feasible solutions, there are other ways to improve the traffic and wait times of the parking lot.
One of those options is opening another exit for students to leave from that is opposite of the car line which exits onto Banta. Which is open in the mornings as an exit and entrance, but surprisingly isn’t at the end of the day. If it works in the mornings, why can’t it work in the afternoon?
This would alleviate the amount of traffic in the parking lot and would be easier for many to navigate. And, although the parking lot is bound to be hectic due to the amount of people and new drivers. It wouldn’t be a shock if the conditions of the parking lot worsen in the future if they aren’t fixed now.
