By SUE SUCHYTA
Sunday Times Newspapers
WYANDOTTE – Signs prohibiting through traffic near Wilson Middle School should prove a relief to concerned area residents and parents.
Police Chief Daniel Grant said that since the signs were installed last month at the entrance to the alley south of Goddard between 15th and 16th streets, officers have been monitoring the situation and taking action to alleviate the congestion.
Residents near the school, at 1275 15th, had been concerned that accidents could occur because of heavy traffic there, especially about 7:30 a.m. on school days.
The situation recently became worse with the closure of the Harrison Street bridge at River Drive at the city limits of Lincoln Park and Wyandotte. Cars that once left the area using westbound Harrison must now use other routes.
Jayne Alfano, who lives at Baumey and 13th Street, said the traffic affects the entire neighborhood. In October she approached the City Council about getting police to conduct a traffic study saying she has had difficulty getting out of her driveway when school traffic is at its peak.
Another neighbor, Clifford Miller, said the alley behind his house near Wilson was being used as a roadway to avoid the stop sign at 15th and Goddard.
The school’s handbook tells parents not to stop in the middle of the street to drop off or pick up students. Parents also are advised to pull over to let students enter and exit vehicles.
Students may be dropped off or picked up in front of the school, in the parking lot, or on a different street within walking distance. School officials also urge parents to avoid blocking traffic at all, warning that many drivers had been ticketed for obstructing traffic — even for a few seconds.