District drops IMS traffic change

 Three days of changing the traffic pattern at Inverness Middle School was enough for Citrus County School District officials to realize it wasn't working.

The district on Monday will reopen the Ella Street entrance to Middle School Drive after congestion at the school on U.S. 41 worsened today.

Parents waited 30 minutes or more on U.S. 41 or Middle School Drive to drop off their children at school this morning which started seven minutes late because of late-arriving students.

Assistant Superintendent of Schools Mike Mullen said a crossing guard at Middle School Drive and U.S. 41 changed his routine to allow more traffic flow on U.S. 41. That, however, resulted in backups on Middle School Drive so severe that it created a bottleneck.

Mullen said parents, frustrated with the delays, stopped their cars to let children out before reaching the school. Mullen said when officials realized that was taking place, they quickly decided to shelve the one-entrance idea.

The district had decided to block the Ella Street entrance to the school because of congestion on Ella and Turner Camp Road, and the mingling of vehicles with students walking and from school.

Mullen said an additional crossing guard will be added at the school site beginning Monday to ensure safety for children walking along Ella.

For more, see Saturday’s Chronicle.