A plan to potentially look into traffic changes around city schools was discussed at Monday’s Public Safety Committee meeting. P-J photo by Sara Holthouse

Traffic changes may soon be coming by Love Elementary and other schools in the city.

Councilman Tony Dolce, R-Ward 2 and chair of the Public Safety Committee, at Monday’s committee meeting said he is planning on talking with the principal at Love Elementary School about some possible traffic changes to help keep kids safer during pick up and drop off times. After talking with the principal and getting that set up, he will bring it before the council, and he added it is something that will most likely have to go before the Department of Public Works as well.

“They’re looking at one side of the street on Pine Street for parking and also maybe configuring something so they can have a drop off and pick up spot,” Dolce said. “They’re the only school in Jamestown I believe that doesn’t have a drop off.”

Other city schools, Dolce said, he believes had all had new construction and designs to have a drop off area up off of the city streets. City council president, Regina Brackman, D-Ward 3, said that for Love Elementary, Spring Street is a busy drop off area. Dolce said that on Spring Street the idea would be to have parking on the school side only, to make it so when getting dropped off all of the students are on one side and do not have to cross the street. There is also a parking lot on Pine Street that council members were not sure whether or not it belonged to the school.

“So, we’ll work on that because I know it’s been an ongoing concern down there with traffic and pick up and drop off,” Dolce said.

School zones and how to regulate speed and safety were then discussed, and it was noted that there are state regulations when it comes to school zones and the speed and spaces there. Additionally, having some sort of sign that would cause people to pay attention and regulate their speed in school zones was brought up, and Dolce said that that is something that would be expensive to have at every school.

“Our schools were all built at a time that back in the day was different,” Dolce said. “Now there in busy thoroughfares.”

This is something that council will look into, including what the costs will be, and Dolce said it is something they may be able to do in conjunction with the schools similar to past projects. He added that at one time they looked into doing something at Ring School and the costs were between $20,000 to $30,000 for the one school, and would be much more for all nine schools.

“It’s a lot of money but definitely something to look into,” Dolce said.