By Ray King

With schools set to open in late August, a problem that the city has not had to deal with since schools shut down in March was at the forefront of the discussion by a city council committee Tuesday.

The Traffic and Aviation Committee discussed a request for no parking signs to be placed on Apple Street near Edgewood Elementary School in the Watson Chapel School District. Regional Planner Larry Reynolds said the city’s traffic committee recommended that no action be taken on the request because the issue is not people parking but rather people waiting to drop off or pick up their kids.

“The fix is for the district to do something,” said Council Member Donald Hatchett, whose ward includes the area. He went on to say that when the school was designed, there was no thought into the traffic congestion that would occur on Apple Street, on Union Avenue, which runs into Apple Street, and on West 34th Avenue.

Hatchett said the congestion has gone on since the school was opened and previous attempts to get the district to do something have been unsuccessful.

Reynolds said one solution would be for the school to change the driveway entrance to the school from being so close to Union Avenue to being further south on Apple Street or creating an entrance off 34th Avenue.

Council Member Joni Alexander, who chairs the committee said a letter would be sent to the school district telling them that they have a problem with the traffic congestion and the city has noticed that problem and wants the district to do something to solve the problem.