Mary Lin Changes and Traffic Impacts

In case you’ve missed it, Mary Lin administration is doing away with the northbound dropoff location, as well as the crossing guards used by walkers and car riders to cross Candler Park Drive in front of the school. A meeting was held Monday where the administration explained their actions:

From Candler Park’s website “Don’t expect Mary Lin administrators to back off their decision to end student dropoffs next Monday from the northbound lane of Candler Park Drive or to reverse the elimination of voluntary crossing guards in front of the school. That was the message of Principal Brian Mitchell during a special meeting of the Mary Lin Building Committee in the Lin auditorium Monday.” … “While Mitchell initially announced last week that northbound dropoff needed to be eliminated to make room for teacher’s parking spaces, he argued today that it’s a non-negotiable move to enhance safety. The crosswalk in front of the school is striped and marked by city school xing signs. It’s been operated for around a decade. But it apparently isn’t an official city crosswalk. Asked why it was necessary to make the change so quickly, he said the administration is “leveraging” construction to close the crossing.”

Read the whole thing.

Lake Claire has not yet made an official statement, but the Candler Park president read this statement in the meeting, requesting that the decision be delayed and for the school to work with the neighborhood.  Nonetheless, expect the changes to go into effect Monday.

Candler Park expects the changes, which route school traffic north on Oakdale, then south on Candler Park Drive, to slow traffic on North and Oakdale.  Paideia parents should also take note as Mary Lin traffic will mix with Paideia morning traffic.