Arlington School Weighs Safety Changes For Pick-Up, Drop-Off

ARLINGTON, MA — Changes may be coming to the arrival and dismissal plans at Dallin Elementary School following an audit by MassDOT's Safe Routes to Schools Program.

Proposed changes include altering the traffic flow on George Street, creating a car-free zone, or designating specific areas for bus and vehicle drop-off and pick-up. The school will host a community meeting Thursday, Aug. 26 at 7 p.m. to discuss a potential safety plan.

The aim is to improve safety for Dallin's 425 students by reducing traffic conflicts and vehicle congestion for a more orderly arrival and dismissal process.

The school is working with the Arlington Transportation Advisory Committee, which will recommend changes to the Select Board as a pilot project this fall. If the pilot is successful, the plan will go before the Select Board for final approval.

Safe Routes to School (SRTS) is an international program that works to increase safe biking and walking among elementary and middle school students. MassDOT runs statewide SRTS programming that provides technical assistance and educational resources to communities to support walking and biking to schools.

For more information, contact Samantha Karustis, assistant principal of Dallin Elementary at 781-316-3730 or skarustis@arlington.k12.ma.us; or Daniel Amstutz, senior transportation planner in Arlington’s Department of Planning & Community Development at 781-316-3093 or damstutz@town.arlington.ma.us.