Sunset Park Elementary implementing arrival and dismissal test phase

Sunset Park Elementary will be attempting a new approach to potentially help with alleviating local traffic.

Beginning Monday, Nov. 8, the school will start a two-week test phase of a new pattern for arrival and dismissal.

The school's goal is to alleviate the traffic at the County Road 535 and Overstreet Road intersection.

According to a post by Sunset Park on social media, all traffic leading to the school during arrival and dismissal will be sent north on County Road 535 to Chase Road and then to Ingrid Drive. 

For arrival, all vehicles will be directed to the Chase Road and Ingrid Drive approach, leading all cars into the parking lot from Ingrid Drive. The only exception will be staff arrivals and Orange County Public School buses. 

As far as dismissal, all vehicles will also be directed to the Chase Road and Ingrid Drive approach. The vehicles will be held at the stop sign at Ingrid Drive and Overstreet Road. Only OCPS buses will be allowed to enter at County Road 535 with no exceptions of daycare buses, martial arts buses, or others. 

The school went on to explain that a staff member will be placed at the entrance of the school directing all fourth and fifth grade parents and other aftercare vehicles to the bus entrance. All other vehicles will be directed into the main parking lot. 

Vehicles exiting the bus entrance will turn left, going west, on Overstreet Road to the light at County Road 535, and vehicles exiting the main parking lot will funnel down to one lane where all exiting traffic will turn right and utilize Ingrid Drive.

The school plans to therefore have no vehicle traffic on Overstreet Road in front of the school, other than cars that are directed west to the bus entrance. 

The school is asking parents and staff to be patient as it works through the new traffic flow during the November weeks. 

The Sheriff's Office will have personnel placed at each intersection to assist with traffic direction and any issues that may arise for the two-week trial period.

There will also be signs and a message board on County Road 535 with the above information.