A new small road from Conneaut Elementary to City Park is being planned to alleviate traffic issues when
vehicles line up to drop off or pick up students.
The city and school district will split the cost of adding a secondary stone road extending from the dead
end of Faye Avenue to the City Park Drive. The road will have a gate controlled by the school district
that would be open when students arrive or depart and closed during other hours.
Bowling Green City Schools Superintendent Francis Scruci said that a parent survey was sent in December,
asking them about transportation once kids returned to school. One of the concerns was potential traffic
congestion at Conneaut since fewer students will be riding the bus and more will arrive via vehicle.
“In a normal year, it’s a difficult situation at Conneaut,” Scruci said.
He said Principal Alyssa Karaffa asked for suggestions in alleviating that pressure and he spoke to Mayor
Michael Aspacher.
“This is one of those partnerships that make Bowling Green unique … a good relationship between the city
and schools,” Scruci said.
He said the change is just for the remainder of this school year, and he hopes it is not needed next
year.
“It will just help us get through the months of February (until) June,” Scruci said. “We certainly
appreciate the city working with us on that.”
The compact gravel road is a collaboration between the city and school district, said Joe Fawcett,
assistant municipal administrator.
The school district will pay for the materials while the city provides the labor, he said. The cost of
the gravel will be about $1,500 but there is no cost estimate for the gate, Fawcett said.
The road will follow a small pedestrian path that leads from Faye Avenue to the west side of the
maintenance area of City Park, Fawcett said.
Even in good conditions, there is a traffic impact along Conneaut and Haskins roads when parents arrive
to either drop off or pick up their children.
“This could be a way to help them with their transition plan to get back into school as well as alleviate
part of the traffic problems along Conneaut and Haskins roads,” Fawcett said.
Drivers can enter the one-way path via City Park, drop of their children at the entrance closest to the
school cafeteria, and exit on Conneaut Avenue.
That will provide a nice traffic flow, Scruci said.
He added he wants parents to adhere to the drop-off and pick-up schedule and not arrive an hour early in
order to prevent traffic backup in the park.
“We want to be a good partner with the city,” he said.
The gate will only be open from 8:15-9 a.m. and 2:45-3:45 p.m.
Parents will not be able to access that route by using Faye Avenue.
The objective is to have the project done by Feb. 23 when the school is back in session.
Fawcett said the two sides have been discussing the idea for about a week.
“We want to be a good partner with the school district and a good neighbor with Conneaut School,” he
said.
Aspacher and Municipal Administrator Lori Tretter approved the deal on behalf of the city, and no council
action was needed at it did not meet the threshold for such action, Fawcett said. It is city labor on
city property so it did not need to go before council, he said.
The two sides need to work out processes and procedures for traffic in the park as to not to impact park
users, Fawcett said. The park is open from dawn to dusk.
If there comes a day when that path is no longer needed, the city will deal with it then.
“We’re focusing on the near-term objective in helping the schools and alleviating traffic congestion,”
Fawcett said.
“It’s another example of the great partnership in Bowling Green,” Scruci said.