The Brentwood School District is waiting on bids to come in for a road that would cut through the McGrath School playground. About two dozen residents came to the board meeting on Tuesday to oppose it.
Superintendent David Faulkner and board president, Keith Rabenberg said the road is for student safety, not parents’ convenience. It would connect High School Drive and the current parking lot to accommodate the lineup of cars dropping off and picking up students.
About a dozen residents spoke in opposition to the project. About twice that many were there. The reasons included safety, cost, the destruction of 13 trees and water runoff into backyards on Stratford Lane. They suggested plenty of alternatives to the road, too.
Resident, Ed Wright, said there are valid concerns. “Many feel this is a drastic overreaction to a minor problem; minor inconvenience that homeowners around the elementary school have known about for years. If these concerns are valid, then this proposal is not a good solution and it can be stopped right now,” he said.
Richard Emory, an architect, said he’s always supported the school district, but in this case he can’t. He said water runoff is the reason.
“I have studied the plans, and we have talked to MSD. All the water from the entire field and the pavement all goes to the three drain inlets, and many of the Stratford Lane have had water problems in the past, this will cause more,” he said.
Barry Williams told Faulkner that Brentwood is just a “station stop” in his career, and he directed his comments to the board members who live in Brentwood. He said long after Faulkner has moved beyond Brentwood, the board members who live in Brentwood will have to live with the consequences of this decision. Williams suggested staggering class times, using ‘walking school buses’ and dropping of students farther away from the school.
Cindy Manestar said High School Drive has traffic backups from middle school and high school traffic, which occurs between Litszinger and White avenues — “right in the middle where this access road is proposed, but now you’ll have all the additional McGrath traffic.”
Ken Jones suggested making St. Clair one-way for 15 minutes before and after pickup and drop-off times. The board responded that they don’t have to power to do that.
Bill Hager, who said he lives in Rock Hill but went to Brentwood schools, suggested carpooling. “Some of those minivans and SUVs are almost the size of a small school bus,” he said.
Rabenberg said he lives on St. Clair. “I see the traffic and I worry about the safety of the kids. That’s where this all came from,” he said. “Nothing is going to be decided tonight, and we may decide to think some more about this. From my viewpoint, it’s very possible we’re going to think about all these things and decide that this still is the best thing to do.”
Faulkner said it’s been a year-long project and acknowledged that residents are just now finding out out about it. “Perhaps we could have done more notifications, but we’ve never done anything like this before,” he said.
He said traffic has been a problem for the nine years he’s been in the school district central office. “As we know, the district was built as a walking district, when there was not the idea that women would go to work and leave their kids, but the world has progressed since then and the landscape hasn’t changed.
“What has dismayed me is the idea that parents have a choice,” Faulkner said. “A lot of times parents don’t have a choice. They adjust their schedules so they can drop their kids off. We don’t have any control over that.”
He said the bidding process closes on Monday (Aug. 22) and they can’t disclose the cost until that is over. He said the board would consider the bids and possibly modify the project at a future meeting.
Some sensible ideas offered here by residents who, like me, don’t wish to see our precious school-tax dollars wasted on roads and parking lots. These dollars need to be spent on legitimate school needs like teacher salaries, classroom equipment, and repair of aging school buildings. McGrath has functioned quite well since its opening in 1958 without a cross-campus road and supplemental parking lot, and today’s McGrath student population is only 200 — less than it was in years past. And that number will shrink further once the regional desegregation program ends in the near future. McGrath’s traffic problem can probably be solved by simply having the City institute no-cost changes in traffic and parking regulations on St. Clair Avenue.
POINT.SET. MATCH: “Barry Williams told Faulkner that Brentwood is just a “station stop” in his career, and he directed his comments to the board members who live in Brentwood. He said long after Faulkner has moved beyond Brentwood, the board members who live in Brentwood will have to live with the consequences of this decision. ” Barry Williams is exactly right–and THAT is not a good foundation from which to plan for the future.
No need for a new road period. Instead of making St. Clair one-way, how about this idea? Most of the homes on the west side of St. Clair have drive ways. Why not have no parking of the West side from 7:00 am to 8:00 am. The school’s first bell is at 8:00 am so by then all traffic should be gone by 8:00 am. Cars will then have gone access to St. Clair in either direction and the same remains true for when school is let out at 3:00 pm
Then from 2:30 pm to 3:30 pm. School is out at 3:00 pm so all traffic should be gone by 3:30 pm.
Make Stratford Lane one-way from High School Drive to Stratford Ave, from Stratford Lane to White Ave one-way. Parking on Stratford Ln will remain on the South side of the Ln and parking on Stratford Ave will remain on the East side of the street. The intersection of the two Stratford’s is dangerous as cars going South on Stratford Ave from the High School and Middle School to Stratford Lane sometimes like to cut the corner at that intersection. heading in the direction of High School Drive.
Why can’t parents drop the kids off a block or tow away? Has the world become so unsafe that kids cannot be outside in a place like Brentwood without the fear of being snatched up? Come on, Brentwood still is in a time warp. Kids can be let out near Mt. Calvery or one of those side streets off of Litszinger. Dear GAWD .
Completely agree. Our own Chris Thornton is COMPLETELY INDIFFERENT to the needs of everyday family issues….as long as his sorry a** is “juuuuuuus’ fine…” We will give a TIF to a formerly bankrupt developer,to build a 6 story bldg. that begs for outlying destruction. But we “do not” have the money for increasing our FR’s, police, ems and fd to safeguard our children. Chris is in “hog heaven” and cannot see the realities of over building at the expense of protection we ALREADY need. NO CHILD SHOULD BE ‘DROPPED OFF ‘ because our mayor is more focused on money than safety. Children need to be well guarded, as the ante has been upped. WHY???? because CHRIS THORNTON does not REALLY give a s***, UNLESS IT AFFECTS HIM AND HIS FAMILY. Then he’s all over it….I am considering contacting my Congressman and Senator to find out if there is a program that investigates VERY SUSPICIOUS decisions that endanger our residents and children—but sell off every piece of brentwood AND have parties involved in conflict of interests. When i think about the world as it stands today, WE NEED MORE FR officers and reliable crossing guards who can hotline anything suspicious. Child abduction is very much on the human trafficking rise—-if i saw something, i would demand a professional FR review–and would do whatever it takes to protect the innocent—including attacking the attacker. I want SAFETY IN B’WD. Check the SEX OFFENDER REGISTRY FOR M’WD. You will be surprised to see the sheer numbers and where they live, in close proximity to each other. SO CHRIS—-WHAT ARE YOU GOING TO DO??? What plan do you have in place to research new renters for criminal history??? ANY THING?? naaaahh….You could use the P&Z—who obviously are clueless about the big picture—and create a SEX OFFENDER FREE zone ordinance. Get your soul back as you are dangling in very ominous BAD places. I am so not done with you…You are turning your back on on all the faux promises you made. You need to be monitored. As mayor, you are out of control for the people’s interests of safety for homes and family. I will give you grace time, or i will go to every agency and charge you with dereliction of duty for the common good, and conflicts of interests within YOUR administration. CLEAN HOUSE—and remember that you are only Mayor—not King. You can be called as out as an attorney for ethics violations, AND i will circulate your name—and as a self-serving mayor of people who trust you. BOTTOM LINE: protect B’wd from the RESIDENT’S POV. not what for what will advance you in any way. maureen
Awesome coverage, Doug. Thanks for being there. Expanding on the idea of one way traffic flow, I actually believe a one-way from St.Clair/Litzsinger down the street AND going East on White Ave. to High School Dr. would also safeguard Brentwood Middle School students who currently dodge two-way traffic that intersects Stratford Ln. Parked cars and inclement weather exacerbate the situation. St.Clair is unnavigable when drivers meet oncoming traffic with cars are parked on each side of the street. T’would be easily facilitated with Orange traffic cones. Much cheaper than the hundreds of thousands that a new road will cost. BTW Would parents picking kids up be required to use the new road? Also, the Board may not have the power to unilaterally implement such a change, but if the idea is found to have merit, I believe the city would cooperate. That’s my $.02, and more!
This doesn’t sound to good for the people who live on Stratford Lane. I am not familiar with that street in Brentwood. I will have to take a look see.
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