Everyone can agree that there are quite a few problems with the drivability and walkability around the Adams campus. Mornings are made more stressful by random cars weaving in and out of others trying to turn off of Twyckenham Dr. to get to school. Afternoons become a waste of time as no one can escape the claustrophobic Adams High School parking lot before at least 3:45. For teachers, students and parents, getting to and from school is a debacle that none of us want to deal with. Here are some improvements that can be made that would improve transportation in the area surrounding Adams High School.
The biggest problem with the pickup and drop-off around Adams is that everyone follows their own rules. Many people are in a rush in the mornings and afternoons, whether it is to get to school on time or leave school as fast as possible. But, in their rush to satisfy their own interests, they cause chaos and mayhem. What if everyone just followed the rules for pickup and drop-off? Things would run much smoother. Instead of stopping on Wall St. and dropping off kids, causing many people to have to wait just to avoid entering the cafeteria drop-off, everyone should go into the cafeteria drop off line. Also, if your kid is going to take a very long time to leave school, maybe don’t park on Wall St. and wait for them! Let’s keep this car line moving folks. If everyone mutually agrees to follow the etiquette of the pickup and drop-off, everything would run much smoother.
Another huge problem with the transportation around Adams is the intersection on Wall St. and Twyckenham Dr. There are stop signs on Wall St., but the drivers on Twyckenham are not required to stop. This causes a variety of problems such as unsafe crossings for kids who walk or bike to and from school, long lines on Wall St. trying to leave Adams and backup of traffic on Twyckenham when people are trying to turn on to Wall St. Something that would really help with this situation would be to install a traffic light or some sort of crosswalk at that intersection. When looking at the intersection of Greenlawn and Wall St. the problems that the Twyckenham and Wall St. intersection have are not a problem because it is a four way stop. It is much easier, faster and safer to turn left on to Greenlawn in comparison to turning right on to Twyckenham. But, if there was a stop sign on Twyckenham, a traffic light or some sort of crosswalk on Twyckenham, it would make things much safer for students traveling to and from school whether they are traveling by car or walking.
In general, the area around Adams is not very walkable. Wall St. does not have any sidewalks on the right side of the street next to Adams, and it does not have any sidewalks past Greenlawn near Potawatomi park. This makes it very difficult for pedestrians and students to navigate the area. Many students who do not park in the parking lot park on Wall St. and they are forced to walk through the grass when walking to and from their cars. In the winter, this can be particularly dangerous because students might have to choose between the snowy grass and the icy street. Sidewalks should be added up and down Wall St. on both sides to help students and local residents stay safe. Plus, this would make Potawatomi park a more pedestrian friendly park! There are many paths throughout the large park, however there are not any surrounding it. Adding more sidewalks would help everyone who is trying to enjoy the park who resides in the surrounding area, as well as Adams students when they are attending school.
The walkability of an area is very important. It contributes greatly to the safety of locals, their happiness, and the value of the properties in the area. Overall walkability is extremely beneficial for everyone. We as students deserve safe and reliable transportation surrounding our school and the residents in the area do as well. Our pickup and drop off affect everyone who lives close by Adams because of the amount of traffic it creates every day in the morning and afternoon. Everyone is trying to get to work and school on time. So we should consider adding crosswalks, sidewalks, and making set rules for pickup and dropoff at Adams in order to improve our community and their commutes.
