Verona’s public schools reopen for the 2019-2020 school year on Wednesday and the Verona Police Department is rolling out a new campaign for traffic safety around our six schools.
Called “Set the Pace for Safety,” the campaign is aimed at making anyone transporting a student more aware of the rules for parking, drop-off and crossing near schools, as well as speeding.
“Detective Joel Martin and Sergeant John Lecreux are prepping hard to ensure safety in and around the schools,” says Chief Christopher Kiernan. “Please be mindful that there are potentially 2,200 school-aged pedestrians out on Verona streets beginning next week. The Verona Police will be present at all schools next week and we are anticipating your cooperation. Traffic safety can begin with you. If you’re driving the speed limit, the traffic behind you will be as well. ”
Through its annual research, the VPD has revised some of the spots where school crossing guards will be posted. Det. Martin is urging parents, grandparents and caregivers to take advantage of the crossing guard posts by dropping students off close to them, rather than in front of the schools. That, he says, will cut down on congestion in front of schools and potentially unsafe crossings. Instead of drop-offs in the loop in front of H.B. Whitehorne Middle School, Martin suggests that drivers consider the Walgreens parking lot or, if they are coming from the south side of town, Montrose Avenue.
The speed limit is 25 miles per hour by all Verona schools and curbs have been painted yellow to clearly indicate no-parking zones.
“We don’t want to have uniformed officers handing out tickets,” Martin says. “It’s up to residents to set the pace for safety.”
