Temporary traffic pattern changes designed to improve safety for students and motorists around Lewis and Clark Middle School could soon be permanent.
In January, Jefferson City Police Chief Roger Schroeder ordered a change at the intersection of Eastland and Lewis and Clark drives, imposing one-way turns and traffic flows at the middle school.
Those temporary changes went into effect Feb. 21. Because school and city Public Works staff say it has been successful, the city's Transportation and Traffic Commission has asked the City Council to consider a city ordinance to make the changes permanent.
Under the proposed ordinance, left-turn and right-turn prohibited signs would be put on Eastland onto the south/east portion of Lewis and Clark Drive, unless a vehicle is specifically authorized by the public school to pick up and/or drop off students, such as a school bus.
Britt Smith, operations division for the city's Public Works Department, said the safety of the students was first and foremost at the heart of the decision, as was what is enforceable by the police department.
School officials said the change in traffic patterns worked almost immediately to improve the safety of the students.
The changes included placement of a JCPS staffer at the intersection during the morning and afternoon rush hours, created as parents drop off and pick up students.
In other action, the commission approved a request to make parking changes on West McCarty Street to allow for crosswalk improvements near the Truman State Office Building. The changes in the 300 block of West McCarty include removing parking - three spaces in a loading zone, between the ends of the Truman Building circle drive - as well as moving the existing handicap-accessible parking spot to the east end of the block.
City staff said this area of West McCarty is scheduled for resurfacing later this year. When that work is done, the current crosswalk located at the east/rear entrance of Capitol Plaza Hotel will be moved farther east, to go directly across to the sidewalk in front of the Truman Building's McCarty Street entrance.
Commissioners also approved removing parking on the south side of the 500 block of East McCarty - between Jackson and Marshall streets, next to Wears Creek at the bottom of the hill below the Simonsen 9th Grade Center. The change allows the city to move the curb, helping make a greenway trail extension improvement to the greenway system. Also, the existing crosswalk and accessible ramps, which cross East McCarty at Jackson, will be improved as resurfacing takes place later this year.