Elected officials and school leaders joined third-grade students at South Elementary in Jackson on Thursday to cut the ribbon on the Highway 25 construction project in front of the school.

The $1.1 million project began in May and was designed to alleviate congestion around the school, particularly at the start and end of the school day. Parents turning into and out of the school's parking lot, bus traffic and motorists traveling near the school often led to traffic backups along Highway 25.

The project added turning lanes, a wider parking lot entrance, raised crosswalks and a roundabout on the parking lot and student drop-off lanes. Since the start of school, teachers and staff members have been in the parking lot to guide parents through the lot's new layout. A traffic light at the entrance is scheduled to be operational by Wednesday, weather permitting.

South Elementary principal Bonnie Knowlan said she has already seen improvements in the traffic flow.

"It is noticeable. Even without the light we are moving people through 15 to 20 minutes faster. Parents are starting to get the new system," Knowlan said.

Jackson superintendent Dr. Ron Anderson said when the school opened in 1998 there were about 400 students. This year there are more than 750 students at South Elementary and across the road at the school's preschool program housed at New McKendree United Methodist Church.

In addition to Anderson, speakers at the ceremony were U.S. Rep. Jo Ann Emerson, Tom Schulte on behalf of U.S. Sen. Kit Bond, Rep. Scott Lipke, Jackson Mayor Barbara Lohr and Missouri Department of Transportation Southeast District engineer Mark Shelton.

cbartholomew@semissourian.com

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