Traffic crawl expected at Fallbrook High

Students and parents who will be making their way to Fallbrook High School for the first day of class on Monday, August 25, will likely encounter heavy traffic volume and the ongoing parking challenge.

Although the high school has widened driveways, posted more signage and intends to add more people power to help ease the traffic flow process, one should allow extra time to keep frustrations low.

“Parents and students will continue to face the typical challenges of trying to drop off and pick up close to 3,000 students,” said Principal Rod King.

King is hopeful that driver cooperation will add to traffic improvement this year. Carpooling, whenever possible, will undoubtedly improve the traffic situation.

In an effort to make school traffic progress more smoothly, the California Highway Patrol (CHP) will be present in the morning and afternoon hours surrounding the school for the first week of classes.

“It’s usually gridlock over there, so I would like to [staff it with] motorcycle officers who can get through that thick traffic,” said CHP Sergeant Scott Payson. “Enforcement will not be a priority, but flagrant violations will be cited.”

Payson said that prior to the first day of school people need to discern where official student drop-off points are. He advises drivers they should not stop in the middle of the road to let kids out.

“We ask [drivers] to be patient,” said Payson. “Respect the residents in the area and the private roads.”

At the beginning of the school last year, Debbie McCain, a resident of Summerhill Lane, a private road adjacent to the high school, placed a blockade to the entrance of her street.

Although a private road sign is in place, McCain said it has been ignored. Parents continue to use Summerhill Lane illegally, she said, and in the process, put their children at risk by having them jaywalk and dodge cars to get to the campus site.

“Nothing will change from last year,” McCain said. “The superintendent’s office last year basically told us that it was our problem and the school wasn’t able to help in any way; they are not willing to be good neighbors at all.”

Like last year, McCain says she and other Summerhill Lane residents will place a blockade at the bottom of their private road and be on-site to supervise both in the mornings and afternoons.

“Parents don’t want to see the private road signs we put up,” she said. “When we tell them it’s private property, parents are rude, call us names and throw things at us. Their kids are even doing this with the parents in the car.”

Adding even more tension to the traffic and parking situation, neighbors on the south side of the campus say trash accumulation, caused by student parking on Winterhaven Road, is unbearable.

Tom Curtis, a resident of the area since 1980, approached the Fallbrook Community Planning Group (FCPG) for assistance at their Monday, August 18, meeting. Curtis suggested that the County of San Diego designate Winterhaven Road (from South Mission to Clearcrest) a “No Parking” zone from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on school days.

Curtis claims he first discussed the signage proposal with the County offices. “The County said they would be happy to make it a ‘No Parking’ zone, but they need to have input from the FCPG to follow up on it.”

Curtis was hopeful the photographs he had taken of the litter on Winterhaven Road, along with his testimony, would sway the members of the Planning Group to take his side in the issue.

“For the last several years, I have gone on daily walks through the neighborhood, and part of my walk is on Winterhaven Road,” said Curtis. “Gradually, the trash has become worse, where the students are parking their cars.”

On Winterhaven, Curtis has stumbled upon large numbers of fast food containers and wrappers, discarded food, empty soda cans, alcoholic beverage containers, cigarette packages and broken glass. “On rare occasions, I have also seen discarded condoms,” he added.

At the Planning Group meeting, the board unanimously agreed that the issue wasn’t one they would get involved in, advising Curtis that it would be “inappropriate” for them to try and solve the litter issue.

Members of the group said the issue was something that should be directed to the governing board of the Fallbrook Union High School District and incoming Superintendent Dr. Dale Mitchell.

FCPG Chairman Jim Russell voiced his opinion, saying, “I think this is really an issue for the high school to see if they can solve the litter problem; it’s more of a school issue than a town issue.”

Parking for students at FUHS is limited. No one disputes that. Once staff members secure parking spots, there is little that remains for students, parents or campus visitors.

To comment on this article online, visit http://www.thevillagenews.com.

Tips from FHS Principal Rod King

1. Safety is the No. 1 concern.

2. The main drop-off/pick-up point is at the baseball field off Stage Coach Lane. All drivers are asked to pull forward.

3. The second drop-off/pick-up point is on the backside of the school on Winterhaven Road (also known as the junior parking lot area).

4. Do not let students out of the car on Stage Coach or Winterhaven for any reason.

5. Parking for the new school year remains the same for students, teachers and visitors: the horseshoe lot directly accessible off Stage Coach.

NOTE: Dropping off or picking up in the bus loading/unloading zone located on Winterhaven is no longer allowed.

QUESTIONS? For additional information, Fallbrook Union High asks that you call them at (760) 723-6300 or log on to http://www.fuhsd.net.