Petition for Traffic Relief

Montessori Educational Center is an educational facility for children ages 2 through age 14. The school has an enrollment of 190 students. The growth in the student population to this number has led to a hazardous situation at both arrival and dismissal times. The large number of vehicles waiting to drop off and pick up children causes cars to back up down the highway waiting to enter the driveway. This is exacerbated by the speed of passing traffic that ignore the school zone prohibitions.

Louisiana law (RS 32:74 B) states: The driver of a vehicle may overtake and pass another vehicle upon the right only under conditions permitting such movement in safety. In no event shall such movement be made by driving off the pavement or main traveled portion of the highway.

The relevant wording here is “main traveled portion…” meaning the travel lanes of the highway.
The choice parents have to make here is to sit in the traffic travel lanes while waiting to enter the driveway of Montessori Educational Center or to break the law and drive on the shoulder of the highway. Neither of these is a safe option.

In order to ensure the safety of the children and to avoid traffic accidents, we are asking the State of Louisiana to install a designated turning lane of appropriate length, with appropriate signage, on the south side of North Bolton Avenue (LA 1 North) leading to the school”s entrance at 4209 North Bolton Avenue.

Thank you for your attention to this matter.