INFOGRAPHIC/ Lucas de Paula
By Hannah Kwok,
Staff Writer
With over 1,800 students enrolled at TCHS, a common concern is the chaos of rush hour traffic from drop-offs and after-school pickups. Maneuvering the maze of cars and illegal U-turns, students risk their lives to get to class.
The current traffic system on Temple City public property between Lemon Avenue and Temple City Boulevard is inefficient and must be resolved to prevent the threat to pedestrian lives. For many students, taking this route is essential.
“People are really eager to get out of unloading zones before the light switches, even when it is yellow,” junior Spencer Haggett said. “Stop lights need to be increased because you have no time to cross and kids hoard sidewalks or just jaywalk.”
The problem with TCHS’s traffic control is that administrators don’t have the authority of enforcement beyond school property. With attempts to safely bridge students to campus, our school is granted one crossing guard by the school district and a flashing yellow crosswalk located on Lemon Ave.
Besides this, the campus supervisors only have the means of using traffic cones, which is not enough in the congested and hazardous streets.
“All we can do is emphasize the safety concerns and emphasize that there are rules in place and they’re there for safety and expediency,” Principal Fil Lujan said. “Making illegal turns and driving the wrong way, stopping out in the street and double parking or dropping people off where kids are walking in the middle street is dangerous and time consuming.”
Temple City’s Public Safety Management, which controls public property, also lacks the grants and sheriff personnel to direct streets or add new infrastructure within the tight intersections leading up to school gates. However, illegal driving and parking may result in ticketed fines starting at $250.
“Drivers can be ticketed and it is no different than a speeding ticket or running a red light,” Temple City Public Safety Supervisor Bryan Ariizumi said. “There is only so much that we can do, but by getting the message out in a collaborative effort from the city, school district, school and even the student body, we can remind them that they need to follow the rules.”
As a biking, walking and driving commuter, I understand the frustration and struggle to get to school in one piece.
While we must urge the city, district and parents to do more to accommodate pedestrians, students should also do their part to support the ease of traffic flow and create an overall safe environment.