Parents be aware of new traffic pattern at AES

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. William Farrow
  • 354th Fighter Wing Public Affairs
EIELSON AIR FORCE BASE, Alaska --  With children heading back to school Monday, traffic safety is once again the focus of the base community, especially since Anderson Elementary School is located along a road undergoing major renovation.

Parents driving their children to AES--and even children walking there--may find navigating Kodiak Street an obstacle since contractors are repaving the road and lying in sidewalks throughout the entire residential section.

Until completion of the improvement project, vehicle traffic can only access Kodiak Street from French Creek Drive and Koyuk and Coman Avenues. Currently, traffic is limited one way in westward direction.

However, Maj. Kenneth Herndon, 354 Civil Engineer Squadron operations flight commander said Kodiak should be open for traffic and ready for the first day of school Monday.

"The contractor will have about a week's worth of work that will be accomplished after school starts," Major Herndon explained. "It's important for everyone to maintain their situational awareness in the area, as the sidewalks and clean up work is completed," he said.

The parking lot surrounding the school itself has had its share of dozers, dumpers and back hoes ripping and paving a new traffic flow and parking areas.

The Fairbanks North Star Borough's $1.5 million improvement project has tripled parking spaces and new school bus pick up and delivery patterns are set. There's also a new traffic pattern for parents dropping-off and picking-up their children.

He new traffic patterns are an effort to reduce or eliminate morning and afternoon traffic congestion. "The biggest concern we have is for the safety of the children and the new traffic patterns are meant to reduce backed-up traffic which children often dart through on their way to school," said Staci Hatcher, Anderson Elementary School attendant secretary.

'The children attending Anderson are kindergarten through third grade, and many children walk to school, so reducing the amount of vehicles along Kodiak can only enhance their ability to walk to school safely," she said.

Along with the new school year comes the loss of daylight too. Parents are reminded that as winter sets in and daylight becomes scarce, children who walk to school are encouraged to wear reflective material.

"I highly recommend that parents consider purchasing clothes or outer garments (backpacks included) that have reflective material built into them," Staff Sgt. Richard Caudill, 354th Fighter Wing ground safety technician. "If nothing else, strap a reflective belt onto the child or their backpack."