It is Wednesday afternoon at 3 p.m., and the pick-up parade has started.

Near Barrington High School, cars, trucks and SUVs begin to line the north side of Lincoln Avenue. The row of cars, parked half on the sidewalk and half in the travel lane, stretches from the main parking lot entrance past the staff parking lot entrance to where Lincoln Avenue intersects with County Road. 

More cars are parked on the side of Tiffany’s Circle and along the entrance lane of the staff parking lot toward the eastern edge of the BHS property. Vehicles jockey for any available space where they can wait until the dismissal bell rings and students empty out of the school. 

The situation has raised safety concerns.

On Thursday, Jan. 27, Barrington High School Principal Joe Hurley sent an email to students’ parents about the drop-off and pick-up situation outside the school. He wrote that school officials recently received complaints from neighbors — blocked driveways, impassible streets, and inappropriate parking during drop-off and pick-up.

“The faculty parking lot by Victory Gates is also being used to drop off and pick-up students, causing further congestion on that side of the building,” Mr. Hurley wrote. 

School officials met with the police department and discussed the situation, and on Thursday, Mr. Hurley sent an email to parents that listed some requests made by school and police officials:

1. Obey school zone speed limits

2. Be observant of students entering and leaving the building

3. Do not block driveways

4. Allow room for other vehicles, including school buses, to pass

5. Be mindful of the surrounding neighborhoods

6. Do not use the faculty parking lot as a pick-up/drop off zone

7. Adhere to the flashing lights on school buses as students are loading on and off

8. Follow the rules of the roadway