A partial view of the entrance going onto the Warsaw Community High School campus from SR 15. Photo by David Slone, Times-Union.

By David Slone
Times-Union

Concerns about the traffic signs at the entrance to Warsaw Community High School from SR 15 were brought up Wednesday, March 6, during the Warsaw Traffic Safety Commission meeting.

“Since the renovation (of WCHS), we’ve had a couple of concerns about it, and one of the things that (was brought up was) as you go into the high school, you go toward what used to be the horseshoe, and it goes down and then turns left and curls around to the left in front of the main entrance down there,” Traffic Administrator Lance Grubbs said.

“There’s also a line of cars in the morning — and probably in the evening, too —- that come from the north so they kind of meet in that area, but also the circle out there, there’s stop signs that are placed there and there have been some cars that have gone through and not realized that traffic coming in from SR 15 does not have a stop. So it’s been suggested that they put signs out that say ‘Cross Traffic Does Not Stop,’ and possibly a yield sign where the gate is down by the area from the north where they would merge in with those going into the main entrance.”

Tracy Horrell, Warsaw Community School assistant superintendent of secondary education, said he had not heard any concerns but he brought it up at the facilities meeting that concerns would be coming up at the Traffic Commission meeting. “And that we might be adding new signs to stop ordinances, but the boss also suggested to facilities, as you just mentioned, ‘Cross Traffic Does Not Stop,’” he said.

He said they did try to separate the traffic going forward with road lines, and there’s a little bump-out on the right side that the right lane has to turn.

“I did notice the last couple of days, when I’ve been going to work, that stop sign, on what would be the north side, is set back quite a bit, too. It’s probably two or three car lengths back from where that traffic is,” Horrell said.

Depending on the weather, he said he does know that the traffic goes all the way back north on SR 15 at the high school at times “for a brief five to seven minutes.”

Mark Fick, WCS director of transportation and Traffic Commission member, said coming from SR 15 into the school, the left lane does not have to stop and the right lane has to turn right, “but there’s no guidance that — yield signs on either side and arrows.”
Horrell said they are adding campus signage, as well, to help in the future with where things are at.

“There’s just so many things that we’d have like 15 things on the sign up there. We’re trying to minimize that as well, too,” he stated.

“With any changes, that brings changes,” Grubbs said. If WCS is going to take care of the signage, he asked if they needed any assistance from the city.

“I think we just need to get the sign and attach that stop sign if need be on both sides,” Horrell said.

Fick said when they repaint the road lines, they could have the arrows painted directing drivers which way to go.

Council President and Commission member Jack Wilhite asked if the city had an agreement with the school corporation regarding signage and traffic on the school campus.

Warsaw Police Department Capt. Joel Beam said they do.

“We don’t take care of it, we approve it. We’re also authorized to enforce state law on the property,” he said, noting that agreement has been in place for a long time, decades even.

“But they actually put in the signs?” Wilhite said.

“They take care of the signs, yes,” Beam stated.