The traffic situation at Frederick High has sparked significant discussion among students, staff, and parents. Many have complained about the long wait times in the traffic line in front of FHS. This issue arises because students trying to park their cars must wait in the same line as parents who are only dropping off their children.
I’ve spoken with students and administration about this situation, and here’s what I’ve learned. Grace Ryan has shared her experience with the traffic lane and student parking. She often has to wait in line behind parents just to reach a parking spot, which wastes time. Ryan suggests opening a second entrance, on the backside of the traffic loop, to separate students from parents. Many students pay $20 for a parking pass in the student lot, and Ryan believes that while the pass might justify avoiding a long walk from street parking, it does not justify the time spent sitting in traffic.
Another senior, Theron Correia, has also shared his experience. Although he typically avoids long wait times because he arrives at school early, he agrees that an additional entrance or traffic lane would be beneficial. He also believes that paying for a parking pass is worthwhile, as open parking would lead to overcrowding.
I spoke with Assistant Principal Mr. Charry about the students’ opinions and the overall situation. From our conversation, I learned that the school likely designed the traffic lane as a one-way system due to the layout of the front of the school. He emphasized the importance of arriving early to bypass the traffic line and get to class easily. Additionally, he mentioned that the current parking lot layout supports only one traffic lane, and adding another entrance would likely cause further congestion. Although students have suggested that this change could be possible, admin is hesitant as it would take a large sum of funds and time for construction work to be done. While there currently isn’t enough space for another lane, he suggested that opening three lanes would be the best option if funds for further construction become available.
After hearing the perspectives of students and admin, the traffic situation at Frederick High focuses on the need for better separation between student and parent traffic. While there are many suggestions for improvement, not all are practical and looking for better options will require consideration of funding and the layout of the school.
