May 25, 2022
Lyon and Sweeny Families,
A few weeks ago we distributed a survey to Lyon and Sweeny families regarding the school-related traffic congestion at Highway 174 and Main, which impacts car lines at these schools. As our school population grows, so does the number of vehicles utilizing our school car lines and the overall traffic flow in this area.
The aforementioned survey’s goal was to gather feedback to determine the level of inconvenience the growing number of vehicles is or is not causing, and to also gather ideas for potential solutions to address this situation. Through the results we found that 73% of Lyon and Sweeny families were “dissatisfied” or “greatly dissatisfied” with the current traffic congestion. Families also provided potential solutions, both short and long term, for the district to consider. Many of these included a start-time adjustment for these two buildings.
It is important to note that this intersection has been and continues to be a discussion item for the City of Republic and our district. We've worked together to make as many minor adjustments as possible to address this issue, but are now looking at two new possibilities that would physically adjust traffic flow. This would be a long-term solution to these issues. However, because the timeline for these possible physical adjustments are still to be determined, we feel it’s time to implement a change in start times for Lyon and Sweeny to immediately address the concerns.
That said, the following start and end times for Sweeny and Lyon will be implemented for the 2022-23 school year.
LYON ELEMENTARY: 8:20 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.
SWEENY ELEMENTARY: 8:40 a.m. to 3:40 p.m.
The determination of which building would start at which time was mainly connected to bus transportation needs (longer secondary bus routes being able to run effectively prior to running elementary routes) and the physical layout of each building's car line. Also, Sweeny Elementary has more car riders than Lyon, which means that Lyon's car line moves faster and can be cleared more quickly than Sweeny's. By having Lyon begin earlier the hope is that the fewer number of cars will help us avoid a bottleneck between the two start and dismissal times. Feedback was gathered from employees in both buildings, as well.
Car lines will begin approximately 20 minutes prior to school starting and dismissing. As the school year approaches more details will be shared, but please take note that the district is working to implement firm structures for when cars can arrive to car lines in order to improve traffic flow and safety.
We wish you and your family a wonderful summer break!
Republic School District
