Traffic flow changing near Jackson High School

Motorists traveling around Jackson High School can expect changes in traffic flow and additional stop signs around the campus beginning June 1.

West Madison, West Jefferson and Colorado will become two-way streets. Additionally, South Russell Street between West Madison and West Jefferson streets, and West Madison between South Russell and Oklahoma streets will be vacated and barricaded.

New stop and traffic control signs, temporary signs and barricades will be installed at various locations around the campus to ease residents in and out of the area safely.

The traffic control modifications were a result of the school district's request to vacate portions of several streets to accommodate the construction of the new high school, said Rodney Bollinger, city public works director.

Dr. Ron Anderson, Jackson's superintendent, said construction work on the new high school will begin this summer. The district plans to demolish several buildings with the first being a maintenance building on Oklahoma Street.

The district asked the city to make the changes at the end of the school year to allow motorists the summer months to become familiar with the changes, Anderson said. "Hopefully they'll mark the streets real well before school starts next year. We don't anticipate any problems," he said.

In the past, the area around the high school football stadium was controlled with one-way traffic signs. But due to vacating certain streets, the city determined other streets around the campus would become heavily traveled and should become two-way.

"When school starts next year, everyone should be cognitive to the changes," Bollinger said.

The closure of sections of South Russell and West Madison streets will be temporary, but traffic flow changes will be permanent.

jfreeze@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 246