Ottawa High School adjusts to Green Street closure

As Ottawa High School returned to classes last week with Green Street and Canal Road closures affecting traffic patterns to and from the school, Superintendent Michael Cushing said measures put into place have been effective and running smoothly.

There are, however, some ongoing issues.

There are a small percentage of people still attempting to park and make pick ups in the east parking lot, leading to more traffic congestion around the school, Cushing said. Efforts are underway to reinforce parking guidelines and encourage the use of designated pickup areas, he said.

The closure, which began on July 22 and is scheduled to last until about Dec. 1, is part of the final phase of the Green Street elevation project, plans to raise the road out of the flood hazard area.

This has affected traffic patterns around Ottawa High School, meaning the only way to and from the school and its surrounding neighborhood is on Main Street from the west.

To manage traffic flow and limit congestion on the city’s east side, Cushing said several steps have been implemented by Ottawa Police Department and have been mostly successful:

• Before School: Students with parking permits are directed to use the new entrance on the 400 block of East Main Street for the student parking lot. Dropoffs should occur in front of the school, with drivers then proceeding east, turning left onto Division Street, and looping back to westbound Main Street. The north parking lot is closed to traffic.
• After School: Pick up for students will occur at the lower lots of Veterans Memorial Bridge, accessible via the river walk at the west end of the Fox River bridge. Pickup is not allowed on Main Street in front of the school, the Fox River Bridge, or in the high school’s parking lots from one hour before until one hour after dismissal times.

For more information and updates on traffic management and the closure, residents can visit the Ottawa Police Department’s website.