Speedway Elementary: Where Kids Learn to Dodge Cars

Speedway Elementary School in Newark (seen under construction in this photo) is at the intersection of two major roads that feed into and off of the Garden State Parkway.

We learn some of our most important lessons in elementary school: how to share, how to read, how to study. For the students slated to move into Newark’s newly constructed Speedway Elementary School on February 12,  there’s a new lesson — how to dodge traffic.

The aptly titled elementary school (named after its former home on Speedway Avenue) was built at the intersection of two busy roads, South Orange Avenue and Oraton Parkway, which take traffic to and from the Garden State Parkway. The new school also lacks an on-site playground, meaning students will have to negotiate this intersection to get to a nearby park for recess, as well as before and after class.

The elementary school is located within a few blocks of several on- and off-ramps of the Garden State Parkway.

Outraged parents and community advocates are working with members of the Newark City Council, the Essex County Freeholders, and state representatives to make sure there is some protection in place for students when the school opens in February. Unfortunately, most Newarkers know that this is not the first time a busy road has threatened the lives of city students. In March 1997, every parent’s worst fear was realized when 8-year-old Terrell James was killed by a car speeding past Belmont-Runyon Elementary toward the I-78 ramps. Terrell’s senseless death led to the adoption of the “Terrell James Law,” which prohibits the state from building schools within 1,000 feet of highway on- and off-ramps. Unfortunately for Speedway students, the law was not signed until January 2008, after the new site was selected.

Initial plans for the school included a pedestrian bridge across South Orange Ave. to help students safely cross to Vailsburg Park for recess, but the bridge never materialized due to a $5 million price tag. In the long run, heavy traffic calming measures may be the ideal solution. In the near term, parents and members of the Safe Streets, Safe Kids coalition are working with Speedway administrators to develop a safety plan, with the city to ensure that crossing guards will be present, and with county freeholders in the hopes of getting basic infrastructure improvements, such as flashing lights and more visible crosswalks.

Thankfully, Speedway is among the ten schools included in NJDOT’s 2010 Safe Routes to School program, which will provide resources for school staff working with parents and students on the safest ways to get to and from school. Hopefully the transition will be smooth, and students will be safe come February 12. But the lesson for policymakers is the need to learn from past tragedy, and make certain that a child’s pursuit of knowledge is not a gamble for their life.

Images: Google Street View/Maps.