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SOUTH BRUNSWICK: New traffic pattern at the high school

By Ed Birch, Special Writer
   Newly appointed Interim Principal Peter Varela has announced that a newly designed traffic flow pattern at South Brunswick High School will be implemented with the start of this school year.
   At the school, there will now be three lanes of traffic in front of the main SBHS entrance. From the entrance on Stouts Lane, there will be two lanes of traffic headed west, with the lane closest to the school for dropping off students and a lane next to it for through-traffic. Both lanes will merge as they approach the end of the lot and then exit on Ridge Road.
   For those coming in from the Ridge Road entrance, drivers must go straight or turn left and head east into the existing parking lot in front of the entrance of the school, separated from the two new westbound lanes by the sidewalk. Those coming out of that parking lot at the side closest to Stouts Lane can only make right hand turns.
   For more information on the new procedures, go to http://www.sbschools.org. The high school option contains a detailed design of the new pattern.
   The new traffic flow plans are expected to relieve the major congestion and potentially confusing situations that happen in the school’s parking lots each day at arrival and dismissal times, according to officials.
   The designs are a result of staff and student input. In addition, the district also consulted some parent organizations and police department experts.
   ”The new patterns will take a few days for everybody to get familiar with,” Mr. Varela said. “I really hope that everyone in the high school community goes out of their way to cooperate so that we can achieve our goal to efficiently and safely get everyone in and out of our school.”
   Lt. Joseph Charmello and Sgt. Kenneth Drost of the South Brunswick Police Department’s Traffic Division worked very hard with consulting engineers and school officials to come up with a plan that would achieve these goals, according to officials.
   New lane markings, sidewalks, and speed humps will be installed before the start of the school year.
   ”The Police Department will be patrolling the high school grounds to assist with the orientation of the new traffic plans,” Lt. Charmello said. “This was a great effort that caused this plan to become a reality.”