Aims to improve school-zone safety

UPDATED, Aug. 24: The Dallin School is the host for a community meeting at 7 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 26, to discuss a new plan to improve safety during arrival and dismissal hours. All are invited to attend via Zoom. Meeting details are available at arlingtonma.gov. 

Changes to the arrival/dismissal plan are recommended as a result of an audit by the state Department of Transportation Safe Routes to Schools Program. Proposed changes include options to alter traffic flow on George Street, create a car-free zone, or designate specific areas for bus and family vehicle drop-off and pick-up. The goal of these proposed changes is to improve safety for Dallin’s 425 students by reducing traffic conflicts and vehicle congestion for a more orderly arrival/dismissal process.

Final proposed traffic and parking changes must be approved by the Select Board. Dallin School staff is working in partnership with Arlington’s Transportation Advisory Committee (TAC) and town planning to conduct public engagement and to assist with implementing a pilot project.

TAC will recommend these changes to the Select Board as a pilot project. Traffic flow will be monitored throughout the fall following implementation. If the pilot is successful, the TAC and Dallin School will seek to make the changes permanent.

Safe Routes to School is an international program that works to increase safe biking and walking among elementary and middle school students. MassDOT runs statewide safe-routes programming that provides technical assistance and educational resources to communities to support walking and biking to schools. The MassDOT program conducted an arrival dismissal audit for the Dallin Elementary at the request of staff and parents.

For more information regarding the proposed arrival/dismissal plan, contact Samantha Karustis, assistant principal of Dallin Elementary at 781-316-3730 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; or Daniel Amstutz, senior transportation planner in Arlington’s Department of Planning & Community Development at 781-316-3093 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

This news announcement was published Friday, Aug. 20, 2021, and updated Aug. 24.