New school in Bothell to add to traffic

BOTHELL, Wash. — More students are heading back to school Thursday, and some students have a brand new school in the Northshore School District -- North Creek High School.

North Creek High School is just off 35th Avenue Southeast, on the Bothell-Snohomish County line.

About 1,500 students and staff are going to be heading to the school every morning, which will lead to traffic slowdowns in the area.

There were some slowdowns on Tuesday when 10th-graders started class in a staggered opening for the new school. There were some slowdowns then.

But Thursday is the first day all students will be arriving at the same time, so traffic will be worse.

Robert Jinkins has lived across from the location of what is now the new school for most his life.

He says 35th Avenue has been bad because of speeders. He was rear-ended recently while pulling out of his driveway. Now, he'll have to deal with extra traffic because of the school.

But Jinkins' bigger concern is the safety of the students walking to school.
    
"Unfortunately, I hope not, but I foresee some kind of mishap happening as they dart across the road," said Jinkins.

Snohomish County has made some road improvements to accommodate the extra traffic, but one side of the street doesn't have a sidewalk yet and that part of 35th isn't technically a school zone, because the school is set back from the road.

KIRO 7 talked to a police officer in the area who said officers be watching for speeders and working with the school to make sure students are able to get to campus safely.

Cox Media Group