Parents attending last week's meeting at Waynewood Elementary School expecting to see plans for a circular driveway put on hold were disappointed. What they were shown, instead, were plans for a modified driveway.
The meeting with Gordon Lawrence, Fairfax County Public Schools coordinator, Safety and Health; Weldon Spurling, Fairfax County Public Schools design and construction engineer; Don Ostrander; manager, Fairfax County Public Schools transportation engineers; and Fairfax County police officers Khost and Barton, yielded an adamant statement by the officials that the Kiss and Ride is inappropriate, unsuitable and unsafe. As such, the Kiss and Ride signs will be removed from Waynewood Boulevard.
Virginia Department of Transportation (VDOT) representatives feel that they cannot allow or recommend it to remain as is. They will take the group's list of 10 concerns and try to factor them into the final design, which will be presented to the community just prior to county approval and permit insurance.
Tammy Mannarino, one of the parents who are trying to seek alternatives to the driveway, said, "We were disappointed that county representatives were unwilling to step back and take a fresh look at the problem. They were resistant to anything but making minor changes to their plan. We felt that they did not adequately answer our questions regarding alternatives. Perhaps most disturbing of all was the attitude of the county and the police that we should build the design first and then see how it affects our traffic flow and safety problems. In our opinion, we should not break ground on any plan until we are sure it will solve our safety problems."
Parents are still moving forward with efforts to have alternative plans heard. Last week, Sue McConville and Joe Carbone shared their concerns with the Waynewood Citizens Association board. Although the board took no formal position on the matter, it did agree to print a letter stating the concerns in its upcoming newsletter.
David Kennedy has scheduled a meeting with Mychele Brickner, at-large member of the School Board. Susie Poole has written a letter to district Supervisor Gerald W. Hyland (D-Mount Vernon). People with concerns or ideas may send e-mail to Waynewoodkissandride@fcps.edu.