SWAMPSCOTT — Police are warning of increased traffic in the area of the Hadley School and the former Hathaway School located at 50 Blaney St. during the school year, which begins at the end of August.
The projected uptick in traffic is due to a new rolling drop-off pattern that will be in place for both Blaney Street and the Hadley School. Students who previously attended the Stanley School, which shut down in June, will be attending the school at 50 Blaney St. while the new town-wide elementary school is under construction for the next two years.
The department’s focus during this time will be “ensuring the safety of the students, parents, as well as all other members within the community,” police said in a statement.
Swampscott Police have partnered with the Swampscott Public Schools, fire department, DPW, and local town officials to launch the “Slow down for school” campaign, which will result in an increased police presence around all schools to ensure that traffic laws are being adhered to.
“The police and school departments are aware that this change in the traffic patterns will affect residents within these areas, as well as other areas of the community. We ask for patience during this time as we understand that this will cause changes to your daily routines,” the statement said.
Swampscott Police are asking parents to have students walk to school if possible to help relieve the congestion. The department will also “be on the lookout for speeders, distracted driving, and crosswalk violations,” and will ensure violators are cited.
The department is also asking for the community to be the “eyes and ears for the safety of our children” and to contact police if they notice anything out of the ordinary, the statement said.
Charlie McKenna can be reached at [email protected].
