Construction crews tearing into Northfield High School’s campus have wiped out dozens of on-campus parking spots, forcing students and parents onto the quiet residential streets that ring the school — and neighbors say the overflow has brought speeding cars, blocked alleys and more than a few close calls.
The parking lot hit hardest by the work used to hold 130 spaces, according to Denver Public Schools spokesperson Scott Pribble, as reported by Denver7. The project has eliminated 61 of those spaces so far, part of the fallout from building a new performing arts auditorium and a Denver Health clinic on the Paul Sandoval Campus, which Northfield shares with DSST: Conservatory Green High School.
With nowhere to park, students and parents have been directed to the surrounding neighborhood. Northfield’s own transportation page tells families that the school “is currently unable to offer on-campus student parking” and that no student parking is available on campus from 7:45 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Drivers are instead pointed to Dallas Street west of Central Park Boulevard, or to streets south of the school off 53rd Avenue, according to Northfield High School.
Residents Describe Speeding, Crashes and Unsafe Crossings
For people who live near the campus, the shift has turned once-quiet blocks into a daily traffic headache. Resident Bryan Rosino said drivers now park in front of alleys and fire hydrants and routinely blow through 25 to 30 mile-per-hour streets at 40 to 50 miles per hour, according to the same Denver7 report. Neighbor Brian Sucher said he’s watched students cross Central Park Boulevard unsafely during morning drop-off, and that he’s witnessed a couple of car accidents along with drivers stopping mid-street to let kids cross…