Rocky Roads, Crowded Lanes and Parents in the Way
By Jake Brodrick
By Jake Brodrick
The back parking lot is notoriously bad. Ask anyone who parks there. The speed bumps are so aggressive they could damage a car's suspension, there’s only one entrance and one exit, parents block the drive and slow everyone down by picking up and dropping off their kids and it costs 10 dollars to buy a pass that doesn’t guarantee a parking spot that is reserved for you.
The speed bumps, while used for safety, are way too aggressive for someone who is driving a smaller car or something low to the ground. The bumps have been eroded in a way that causes them to be rectangular rather than a curved bump. As someone who drives in and out of that lot up to four times a day, I fear that my car’s suspension could be damaged due to the frequency of riding over the speed bumps.
Having one entrance and one exit is also another cause for concern and a general nuisance to everybody trying to get inside and leave. A singular entry and exit point runs the risk of jamming at the most minor of incidents and with the proximity both lanes have to each other, the chance of collision or damage to a vehicle also increases. The only problem being the lack of space if administration decided to install another point of entrance and exit is that there is no new spot to put one.
I believe that a possible way to solve the problem of poor passage through Mustang Lane would be to have a second entrance and exit towards the back of the lot by the football field and softball diamond. While there may not be a lot of space, there would be enough to add a set of lanes and it would be easier access for people coming up Blossom Hill from that direction.
Barring parents from dropping their students in the back of the school or pulling into the staff lot wouldn’t just be beneficial for students who happen to park back in the lot, but also beneficial for teachers. The front parking lot is very limited in space so by having parents instead go into the horseshoe to drop their kids off, would alleviate the congestion they have on traffic for people who are trying to park at the school and get to class on time.
Paying for a spot is another issue many students have. Why should we pay for a spot that isn’t reserved, especially when students don't see improvements to the lot that many of us use on a daily basis.
The major improvements would be the speed bumps and a new entry and exit point, but minor ones could be made as well, such as better drains for really rainy days. Even the small things could help to make the parking at Pioneer easier and more convenient for all the 200+ people who use the lot on a daily basis.
The speed bumps, while used for safety, are way too aggressive for someone who is driving a smaller car or something low to the ground. The bumps have been eroded in a way that causes them to be rectangular rather than a curved bump. As someone who drives in and out of that lot up to four times a day, I fear that my car’s suspension could be damaged due to the frequency of riding over the speed bumps.
Having one entrance and one exit is also another cause for concern and a general nuisance to everybody trying to get inside and leave. A singular entry and exit point runs the risk of jamming at the most minor of incidents and with the proximity both lanes have to each other, the chance of collision or damage to a vehicle also increases. The only problem being the lack of space if administration decided to install another point of entrance and exit is that there is no new spot to put one.
I believe that a possible way to solve the problem of poor passage through Mustang Lane would be to have a second entrance and exit towards the back of the lot by the football field and softball diamond. While there may not be a lot of space, there would be enough to add a set of lanes and it would be easier access for people coming up Blossom Hill from that direction.
Barring parents from dropping their students in the back of the school or pulling into the staff lot wouldn’t just be beneficial for students who happen to park back in the lot, but also beneficial for teachers. The front parking lot is very limited in space so by having parents instead go into the horseshoe to drop their kids off, would alleviate the congestion they have on traffic for people who are trying to park at the school and get to class on time.
Paying for a spot is another issue many students have. Why should we pay for a spot that isn’t reserved, especially when students don't see improvements to the lot that many of us use on a daily basis.
The major improvements would be the speed bumps and a new entry and exit point, but minor ones could be made as well, such as better drains for really rainy days. Even the small things could help to make the parking at Pioneer easier and more convenient for all the 200+ people who use the lot on a daily basis.