Be aware that the School Zone speed limits will now be in effect during the day at Alexandria City High School starting next month.
The City of Alexandria announced an “expanded enforcement of school zone speed limits” beginning on Monday, Nov. 4. The release said school zone speed limits will be active at the King Street and Minnie Howard campuses during the school day, in addition to morning arrival and afternoon dismissals.
Pedestrian safety around Alexandria City High School has been a particularly contentious topic of late with reports of students walking between campuses during class transitions in spite of the school’s “closed campus” status. Per the Theogony student newspaper, students have been walking because the buses have been unreliable. School officials have disputed that account, though comments from students and parents have broadly agreed with Theogony’s assessment.
School Board and City of Alexandria leaders met earlier this week to discuss solutions including short-term safety measures for the Quaker-King-Braddock intersection, though Mayor Justin Wilson warned any significant overhaul of the busy intersection is several years and millions of dollars away from even getting started. City of Alexandria staff said during the meeting that extending the time in which the school zone speed limit is active is one short-term solution.
The Alexandria Police Department also issued a warning to parents not to stop, park or stand to drop off students in the lanes outside of ACHS.
According to the release:
As a reminder, the 15 MPH school zone speed limit is in effect whenever the beacons are flashing. Drivers in these areas during school zone hours must adhere to the school speed limit, which are indicated by the flashing signs.
The new schedule is intended to raise awareness of ACHS students who travel between the two campuses for class during the school day. The ACHS King Street school zone is located between Scroggins Road and Quaker Lane, and the ACHS Minnie Howard school zone is located between Marlee Way and Marlboro Drive.
