Glen Forest ES community seeks help with school bus traffic on Glen Forest Drive
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| The photos of Glen Forest Drive with this story were taken by a Glen Forest ES parent. |
The Fairfax County School Board is fast-tracking a boundary
change to relieve overcrowding at Glen Forest Elementary School in Bailey’s Crossroads.
While moving some students to another school isn’t likely to
take effect until the 2020-21 school year, there’s a more urgent need to
address traffic congestion on Glen Forest Drive, which is the only access route
for school buses.
take effect until the 2020-21 school year, there’s a more urgent need to
address traffic congestion on Glen Forest Drive, which is the only access route
for school buses.
There have been several meetings with FCPS officials, Glen
Forest staff, parents, and community residents on the traffic problem, but no
solutions have been approved.
Forest staff, parents, and community residents on the traffic problem, but no
solutions have been approved.
The road ends in a cul de sac, so buses have to turn around
after dropping off or picking up students. Also, many parents drop off their
children, so that adds to the bottleneck.
after dropping off or picking up students. Also, many parents drop off their
children, so that adds to the bottleneck.
School board member Sandy Evans agrees that a boundary
change is needed and says there is extra room at Bailey’s and/or Parklawn
elementary schools to transfer some Glen Forest students. She also suggests
expanding the Glen Forest parking lot as a more immediate solution to the
backups on Glen Forest Drive.
change is needed and says there is extra room at Bailey’s and/or Parklawn
elementary schools to transfer some Glen Forest students. She also suggests
expanding the Glen Forest parking lot as a more immediate solution to the
backups on Glen Forest Drive.
Alison Teitelbaum, president of the Glen Forest Community Association, says there have been several proposals to address the problem,
including connecting Glen Forest Drive with Spring Lane so the buses won’t have
to turn around, but stresses, “the main concern of the community association is
the safety of the students.”
including connecting Glen Forest Drive with Spring Lane so the buses won’t have
to turn around, but stresses, “the main concern of the community association is
the safety of the students.”
According to Glen Forest PTO President Paul Monsky, the school has about
1,100 students, far above the 600 or 900 it was designed for when it opened in
1957.
1,100 students, far above the 600 or 900 it was designed for when it opened in
1957.
As a result, there are several lunch shifts, with the first one
starting at 10:30 a.m., just one hour after the start of the school day, Monsky
says. And more than half the students are in trailers or modular units.
starting at 10:30 a.m., just one hour after the start of the school day, Monsky
says. And more than half the students are in trailers or modular units.
According to Monsky, Glen Forest was at 120 percent of capacity
six years ago and while enrollment has increased by about 150 students since
then, and even though no more modulars were added, “somehow we’re not any more
over capacity,” according to FCPS data. “It seems like number fudging.”
six years ago and while enrollment has increased by about 150 students since
then, and even though no more modulars were added, “somehow we’re not any more
over capacity,” according to FCPS data. “It seems like number fudging.”
He believes the model FCPS uses to project future capacity
doesn’t take into account the large number of students who live in apartments –
primarily at Skyline and the Jefferson. He believes the best solution would
be to move the 200 students who live in the Jefferson to Bailey’s Elementary
School.
doesn’t take into account the large number of students who live in apartments –
primarily at Skyline and the Jefferson. He believes the best solution would
be to move the 200 students who live in the Jefferson to Bailey’s Elementary
School.
Because Glen Forest is a Title I school, it has small
classes, which means there are more teachers and instructional aides, and that
has added to the congestion on Glen Forest Drive. And because the parking lot
is too small, staff are forced to park along the street.
classes, which means there are more teachers and instructional aides, and that
has added to the congestion on Glen Forest Drive. And because the parking lot
is too small, staff are forced to park along the street.
When cars are parked on both sides of the street, “two cars
can kind of squeeze past each other sometimes but a car and a bus cannot pass
at the same time,” Monsky says. “In the afternoon, when buses are leaving and
parents are coming to pick up students at the kiss and ride, traffic gets
snarled and stopped and no one can get by.”
can kind of squeeze past each other sometimes but a car and a bus cannot pass
at the same time,” Monsky says. “In the afternoon, when buses are leaving and
parents are coming to pick up students at the kiss and ride, traffic gets
snarled and stopped and no one can get by.”
There’s been lots of property damage as cars get sideswiped,
he says, and there are also safety issues. Sometimes parents have kids run
across the street to get into a car so they don’t have to go through the kiss
and ride. Although he isn’t aware of any major accidents, he’s heard of “people
getting bumped by cars and near misses with children.”
he says, and there are also safety issues. Sometimes parents have kids run
across the street to get into a car so they don’t have to go through the kiss
and ride. Although he isn’t aware of any major accidents, he’s heard of “people
getting bumped by cars and near misses with children.”
According to Monsky, the police have been told to ticket any
cars parked illegally, such as cars parked too close to a driveway or parked perpendicular in the Glen Forest cul de sac. That has had the biggest
impact on instructional aides, who don’t have to arrive as early as teachers
and who are the least able to afford a parking ticket.
cars parked illegally, such as cars parked too close to a driveway or parked perpendicular in the Glen Forest cul de sac. That has had the biggest
impact on instructional aides, who don’t have to arrive as early as teachers
and who are the least able to afford a parking ticket.
“We have been trying for years to get some relief from these
problems,” Monsky says. “There’s really been little or no movement no matter
what we’ve asked for.”
problems,” Monsky says. “There’s really been little or no movement no matter
what we’ve asked for.”
One solution sought by the PTO to relieve the problem is to
connect Glen Forest Drive with Spring Lane, which would allow the buses to exit
onto Columbia Pike.
connect Glen Forest Drive with Spring Lane, which would allow the buses to exit
onto Columbia Pike.
David McAlary, secretary of the HOA for the Carlyn Square townhomes, which
backs up to the school, says Spring Lane residents are adamantly opposed to that.
backs up to the school, says Spring Lane residents are adamantly opposed to that.
“We have several trailers yards from our house that are very
disruptive. The school’s heating and AC system is noisy. We made our peace with
that,” McAlary says.
disruptive. The school’s heating and AC system is noisy. We made our peace with
that,” McAlary says.
But adding more traffic on Spring Lane would be a problem; “We’re
full up,” he says, noting the road already gets a lot of cut through traffic
between Carlyn Springs Road and Columbia Pike during rush hour.
full up,” he says, noting the road already gets a lot of cut through traffic
between Carlyn Springs Road and Columbia Pike during rush hour.
Monsky says there already is a gate separating the two
roads and it could only be opened for school buses during the pickup and drop-off
times, 9-9:30 a.m.and 4-4:30 p.m., when most people would be at work.
roads and it could only be opened for school buses during the pickup and drop-off
times, 9-9:30 a.m.and 4-4:30 p.m., when most people would be at work.
Another idea favored by McAlary is to have FCPS lease space
at the Crossroads Center for excess parking for stuff. That would require a
long walk across the field to get to the school, however.
at the Crossroads Center for excess parking for stuff. That would require a
long walk across the field to get to the school, however.
Another more likely option would be to create more parking spaces
on the school parking lot. Adding an asphalt lot would require an environmental
study, Monsky says, but expanding the gravel lot could add 10 extra spaces.
on the school parking lot. Adding an asphalt lot would require an environmental
study, Monsky says, but expanding the gravel lot could add 10 extra spaces.
Despite the overcrowding, Glen Forest “is a very good
school,” says Monsky, who has children in the second and fifth grades. “The
instruction is great. Kids do very well when they move on to Glasgow Middle
School.” And for the second year in a row, a Glen Forest team won the regional Odyssey
of the Mind competition for elementary schools.
school,” says Monsky, who has children in the second and fifth grades. “The
instruction is great. Kids do very well when they move on to Glasgow Middle
School.” And for the second year in a row, a Glen Forest team won the regional Odyssey
of the Mind competition for elementary schools.
2 responses to “Glen Forest ES community seeks help with school bus traffic on Glen Forest Drive”
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Before anyone else gets onboard the "more mixed-use developments!!" band wagon, let me point this out: more residents means more kids, and more kids means more crowded schools.
Fairfax County doesn't need that; we're already bursting at the seams.
–kda
As a Caryln Square resident and the President, we can not speak for all of our homeowners but many of our homeowners voiced opposition to buses letting out on Spring Lane for multiple reasons. Loss of current parking, loss of greenspace, as well as congestion, delays as the area is a cut through already and safety issues.
I am opposed to a "permanent" road solution when the school itself has no "permanent" approved expansion plans (in its seven year plans). If the trailers are truly temporary and there are no plans to permanently expand the schoolrooms, then a "permanent" road should not even be considered. The decision of where to house the students should be the first decision made and if other schools are more equipped or adaptable then that should be the solution.