The planned traffic management changes to Corinaldi Avenue and adjoining streets have been welcomed by acting principal of Corinaldi Avenue Primary School Deon Stern-Angling.

Just over a week ago, various stakeholders met with St James Municipal Corporation and National Works Agency officials to determine how best to address the issue of traffic congestion in the area.

Coming out of those discussions, it is expected that adjustments will be made to address the challenges associated with peak hour traffic while also facilitating parents and guardians doing pick-ups and drop-offs at schools in the area.

“We welcome it. We did a walk-through just last week and we welcome it a 100 per cent,” Stern-Angling told the Jamaica Observer on Thursday.

“A bulletin will be coming out shortly from the St James Municipal Corporation where they are going to be closing off the streets in this area in a certain time to allow the free flow of the traffic.What happen [is that] most parents would stop at the gate, block up the traffic, so they want to cut that out,” added Stern-Anglin.

Corinaldi Avenue is home to Montego Bay Infant and Corinaldi Primary schools.

At specific times during the day, the street becomes congested as a number of motorists try to navigate the space to either pick up or drop off children, or as an alternative to access other roads.

According to Stern-Anglin, this has become a challenge as students seek to reach the school.

She added that the school is working on other measures to protect students as they traverse the busy thoroughfare. One of those measures is the recent installation of a safety rail along Corinaldi Avenue.

A 91-meter-long and three-feet high safety rail was installed over last weekend.

“The board of management of this school, along with the administrators, have decided that we’ll be putting in things for the safety of our students. You realise the era that we’re living in. I don’t know what happened after the two years at home, so we decided that we wouldn’t want our children to fall into any problems outside, so we put the rails there to safeguard them. So when they go outside, they can be safe,” Stern-Anglin told the Observer.

She expects that the rails will also benefit other students who use the road.

“We installed the rails to protect our students, not only our students but all the students, because we realise that even the St James High students would pass there and use the rails. So we want them to have a safe channel towards their school. Our infant school students use it also,” said the acting principal as she pointed out that the rail is slated to be painted this weekend, through the assistance of volunteers.

Stern-Anglin noted that despite the safety measures being implemented, some vendors have set up their stalls on the sidewalk, forcing the children to walk in the road.

“Some vendors are trying, even with the rails there, they try to put their things there, but it does not give much access to vendors to be on the sidewalk where the children are to walk,” said Stern-Anglin.