Grosse Pointe School Board Considers Monteith Drop-off Changes

After being briefed this week on two options to address traffic related issues for Monteith Elementary School at drop-off and pick-up times, the Grosse Pointe Public School Board will revisit the topic next week and possibly make a decision.

School officials and an engineer presented information this week outlining two viable options to address traffic flow. The first is to put in a circular driveway and the second, and more-preferred, option is a cut-out similar to what many of the other elementaries have, including Mason and Kerby.

At issue is the traffic flow on Cook Road during the peak volume times of drop-off and pick-up. Currently, there is no where for parents to park, so they stop on Cook Road to let their children out.

The problem has existed for decades but is of concern to officials as the result of a request by Grosse Pointe Woods. It is of concern to officials at the school because of the safety issues involving students.

There are 530 students at Monteith from 400 families, which is a lot of vehicles converging on the area in a short span of time, Principal Keith Howell said.

Board member Cindy Pangborn, who lives near Monteith and also takes grandchildren there sometimes for her family, said she was glad to see the issue is being looked at and options are being presented. She sees damaged sideview mirrors on cars on her street frequently, which she believes is related to the high volume of traffic and the lack of space on the roadways in the area. 

According to a document submitted to the board for their review and discussion this week, the issue has been reviewed on and off for the last 40 years. Nothing has been done as of yet because such plans lacked the support of the residents in the areas, parents and Grosse Pointe Woods Department of Public Safety.

The district has received bids for the two options. The cut-out is the preferred method, according to an engineer and to Principal Keith Howell, although it is the more expensive option, they said.

Howell said the curb-cut would east traffic and allow it to remain flowing rather than coming to a complete stop as it does now. The cut-out would allow 22 car to come off of Cook Road while dropping off their children, he said.

The circular drive, on the other hand, would allow for only 18 cars to be removed and then you still have a traffic flow problem because he believes parents would continually make a loop to find a spot, he said.

With the cut-out, it would allow for parents to drive off the roadway so other passersby may continue on and then they can also get right back to driving once the kids are out.

Funds from the district's sinking funds will be used to pay for the project. The sinking fund is a separate fund from the general budget that is a pool of money used to address building projects, such as maintenance and upgrades.

This issue is not on the district's master list of capital projects to be completed--a point inquired about by board member Lois Valente. She voiced concern about the project not being listed on the district's long-term agenda despite being a problem for 50 years.

Valente also questioned why the solution is only an attempt to ease traffic rather than to solve the problem permanently.

Ultimately, Pangborn said she believes the traffic became more problematic when the district closed Barnes as a general education building and Monteith grew in size signifiantly.

School officials warned the board that they were hopeful to receive an answer within about the next month so they may begin contacting contractors and get the project underway.

If the curb-cut is chosen ultimately, it will take two summers to complete. This summer the utility lines would be relocated and then next summer the actual curb-cut would be put in.