Traffic Enters City High Homecoming Parade Route Alarming Parent, Prompting Officials to Check Safeguards

Traffic managed to enter the City High Homecoming Parade route moments before the band, students, families and alumni marched through last week, prompting concern from some who attended.

There were no injuries and police were able to quickly reroute the traffic, but the situation has school and law enforcement officials looking to update safeguards before the annual tradition continues next year.

"A few things need to be tweaked," said Iowa City Police Sgt. David Droll, who was on duty for the parade. "We need to figure out how cars got on the route, but at no point was anyone in danger. The safeguards worked."

The traffic never intersected with the parade itself, but some expressed concern about what could have happened and the close proximity to the hundreds of children lining the route, which runs from Mercer Park to City High's football field along First Avenue on the east side of Iowa City.

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The traffic concerns came to light after comments were posted on an Iowa City Patch article about the homecoming parade, which was last Thursday, and an article about the parade on the Iowa City Press-Citizen website (you may need to be a subscriber to access).

"I really enjoyed the parade as per usual, but I was seriously alarmed when there appeared to be no police to stop traffic from going south on 1st Avenue from Court Street," one person wrote. "Many, many cars were still driving down the street as the parade was coming up it! It was very dangerous."

Iowa City Police Department and City High work together to provide security for the parade, and both organizations said they did not receive any calls about the traffic.

"We had not received any contact from anyone letting us know about those concerns," City High Principal John Bacon said. "Are we looking to make adjustments? Yes. Based on that feedback, we will absolutely process those concerns with the Iowa City Police Department when the time comes to plan next year's parade."

Droll said "maybe four" vehicles entered the route, but they were quickly rerouted by officers.

A police vehicle serves as protection by driving at the front of the parade route. It is one of several safeguards that are in place for the parade, Droll said. Others include two community police vehicles that patrol the back end of the parade and officers at key intersections along the route.

Droll said the department used the same template this year as in past years.

Iowa City police are contracted by City High to provide support for the parade. Nine officers were contracted to be on duty this year, Droll said.

While police had a presence along the route, many access points exist to First Avenue, such as the Hy-Vee parking lot, a church and smaller cross streets. Droll acknowledged cars could get in. Cones are also in place where police are not, but the cones were moved and the vehicles were able to get through in this case.

Droll said positioning volunteers at those intersection rather than cones is one solution to explore, and increasing the pace of the parade so it moves through more quickly. 

Droll and Bacon said the school and police will get together to discuss what happened and ways to make the parade safer to ensure vehicle do not enter the route that aren't supposed to be there.

"We will share the concerns and let the ICPD take the lead on what could be improved," Bacon said. "We'll implement whatever suggestions they recommend."