Residents have arranged a petition to put more signs up so that students can’t park on Old Cedar Swamp Road. According to Dr. Artiles, residents constantly send emails and make phone calls about kids parking on “The Hill”. Artiles said, “Last year there were times when students parked in people’s driveways. People would return from work unable to get into their houses."
By ALEXANDRA NOLAN and GABBY GARTEN
For the 2014-2015 school year, Jericho High School seniors have been given permits to park on campus every day. However, problems have arisen from students parking on Old Cedar Swamp Road, known to students and administration as “The Hill”.
Jericho High School principal Joan Rosenberg hopes that providing all seniors with daily parking will reduce the issue of parking on “The Hill.” “It shouldn’t be as much of a problem because seniors are now allowed to drive every day.”
Since Old Cedar Swamp Road is an active roadway with cars moving in both directions, it’s more dangerous than the Senior Lot on JHS’s campus. The Senior Lot has one entrance and one exit, which prevents accidents and congestion, and someone directing traffic. Thus, the likelihood of getting into an accident on “The Hill” is greater.
Jericho High School Assistant Principal Dr. Artiles voiced his concern regarding the dangers students face by parking off campus. “It’s an accident waiting to happen. People are driving fast through the street, and it’s very narrow,” he said. Since “The Hill” is not Jericho High School property, if an accident does occur the school cannot intervene.
Old Cedar Swamp Road resident Mrs. Titus said, “I don’t like the way that they park. We have somebody parked right now in the wrong direction. This has been happening since school started, and it is a real danger to those cars turning on Route 107.”
Residents have arranged a petition to put more signs up so that students can’t park on Old Cedar Swamp Road. According to Dr. Artiles, residents constantly send emails and make phone calls about kids parking on “The Hill”. Artiles said, “Last year there were times when students parked in people’s driveways. People would return from work unable to get into their houses.”
One resident on Old Cedar Swamp Road lets students he knows park on his property. Yet according to the resident, “Every once in a while there is a car that shows up here that nobody knows whose it is.” He also said that the number of students parking on “The Hill” last year was much greater than the number this year. He said that he does not believe that the students’ parking affects many residents negatively.
The builders of the new construction at the end of Old Cedar Swamp Road have taken action to prevent student drivers from parking near their property. There are now large rocks blocking the area where students were once able to park.
With many juniors eager to take advantage of their driving privileges during senior year, Jericho High School’s top priority is safety. Some students take advantage of the dangerous off campus parking site “The Hill”. Junior L. Bottoms said, “I would rather park on ‘The Hill’ because it’s more convenient than waiting for senior year.” Other students would rather wait until they have permission to drive to school and a proper parking spot. Junior Susanne Nia said, “I think it’s better to wait until I’m a senior to drive to school because I think it’s safer than parking on ‘The Hill.’”
