PALM BAY, Fla. — Police and administrators of one Palm Bay elementary school say they may make adjustments to a new carpool plan after traffic backed up in a nearby neighborhood during pickup times.
- Elementary school changed carpool traffic patterns this year
- Man says he's trapped in driveway during dropoff, pickup times
- Some parents, guardians skipped carpool lane, stopped on roadway
Ed Donges knew what he and his family were in store for when they moved directly across from Christa McAuliffe Elementary School five years ago.
"We always accepted the traffic at certain times of day," Ed Donges said.
As the first day of school in Brevard County kicked off Monday, so did the traffic. It also marked the first day of a new student pickup and drop-off carpool pattern at the school.
"It was ridiculous. I had cars parked up in my yard it was so bad," Donges said. "We are trapped. The cars are blocking the driveway."
Residents in the neighborhood had complained in previous years about the traffic issues. This school year, Palm Bay Police and school administrators partnered to come up with new plan, with the goal of keeping cars from backing up onto busy Minton Road.
Instead, the new carpool lane winds through the neighborhood streets, with signs telling parents where to line up during the hours of 7:15 to 8:15 a.m. and 2 to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday.
On Monday afternoon, traffic backed up in the neighborhood. Some parents skipped the carpool lane and parked on the side of the road as they waited for their kids to walk to them.
For Donges, he said he's stuck in his driveway in the morning and afternoon on weekdays.
"What can we do?" he said. "You gotta deal with it."