JLS Critical School Commute Safety Alert: Campus construction begins during the winter holiday 2023-24 and continues for the next two years. The JLS on-campus parking lot and adjacent loading zone will be closed to drivers beginning January 8, 2024. The Waverley multi-use path will remain open to students and the public.
Driver drop-off/pickup access will be moved to two off-campus locations. Loading zone capacity will be severely reduced. Walking and biking should be the primary travel mode for students living a reasonable distance from JLS. A new, temporary crossing guard will be sited at the East Meadow/Cowper intersection, and supplementary bike/pedestrian safety assemblies will be conducted to support these changes. Please refer to the “Tips for Drivers” section below for more details about the new off-campus loading zones.
Practice makes perfect! If your student is new to walking/biking to school, please help them practice their route prior to the return to school. Rainy season foot/bike-powered commutes will be especially important in keeping traffic to a minimum during construction. Please check to ensure your student has properly functioning bike lights and adequate rain gear.
Driver Dropoff/Pickup Loading Zone Information: If you must drive to JLS, please determine which of the two off-campus loading zones to use, based on your driving route.
The First Loading Zone: Located at the Mitchell Park Library, adjacent to the owl sculptures (shown below). Please only use Middlefield Rd. to access this entrance. Do not enter via the East Meadow driveway. To ensure a smooth flow of one-way traffic when entering/exiting Middlefield Rd, please follow instructions and signage placed to support JLS drivers. Allow 10 minutes for your student to access the school from this location. The extra dose of physical activity will give them a boost of fresh air and support social/emotional health and academic success!
The Second Loading Zone: Stationed along the JLS school frontage on East Meadow Dr, this option is ONLY intended for drivers living west of Waverley St. Please do not use this loading zone if you live east of Waverley St. or north of Charleston Rd., as the safety of the many student cyclists traveling along that route may be compromised if you approach this area from the east. Palo Alto law enforcement has committed to maintaining an ongoing presence on East Meadow Drive to deter drivers from making illegal u-turns, passing other drivers via the bike lane, or unsafely dropping students off mid-block.
Through March, 2024: Drivers south of Charleston Road can use the Hoover Elementary School entrance. If you are new to dropping students off in this loading zone, please moderate your speed regardless of traffic conditions, and pay careful attention to Fairmeadow and JLS bicyclists entering and exiting from the Mitchell Park soccer fields and along the Cowper bike path adjacent to the dog park and Stevenson House. Once the Hoover Driveway is closed due to its own construction in early March, drivers south of Charleston Road should turn right onto Alma, then turn right onto East Meadow to access the loading zone along the JLS school frontage.
Thank you for helping ALL students get to school safely! If you have questions pertaining to route safety during the upcoming construction period, please contact JLS Measure Z Project Facilities Manager.