New traffic pattern to begin around Falls Elementary

ZANESVILLE – A new pick-up and drop-off route around Falls Elementary School is scheduled to start April 7 when construction on the new elementary school begins.

William Harbron, West Muskingum Local Schools superintendent, said parents and guardians likely won’t see signs of construction until mid-April, but everyone needs to get into the habit of driving the new route so traffic flows smoothly.

A map of the new traffic pattern is available on both the West Muskingum and Times Recorder websites. Parents and guardians are to use the middle school entrance and will pick up and drop off their elementary students at West Muskingum High School every day. A shuttle will take the students to and from the high school.

Bus drop off and pick up will take place at Falls Elementary.

Parents should not line up to pick up their children until 3:15 p.m., to give high school students time to leave. In the morning, drop offs can begin at 8:25 a.m., and a shuttle will transport the students to the elementary school at 8:45 a.m.

Groundbreaking for the new school is scheduled for 2 p.m. April 1, at 200 Kimes Road.

And despite concerns from teachers, Falls Elementary School will continue to operate for the 18 months that construction is scheduled to take place, Harbron said. The school has problems with leaks in the ceiling, which is causing frustration for those in the building.

“Falls is worn out,” Harbron said. “The building is living past its time. ... But it has to be our temporary fix.”

The roof is scheduled to be assessed and then administrators will plan the best way to stop or slow the leaks, he said. But there is not much else to be done. The building is safe, though.

“It’s an old building and there are frustrations with that,” Harbron said.

Both Falls and Hopewell elementary schools will be merged into the new building.

ksnyder2@zanesvilletimesrecorder.com

740-450-6752

Twitter: @KL_Snyder