Traffic woes continue for Oak Park’s middle school campus

By Lori Porter Acorn Staff Writer

Morning and afternoon traffic at Medea Creek Middle School in Oak Park continues to enrage residents of the Shadow Ridge townhomes even after school and county officials have suggested multiple solutions.

The middle school recently sent home a map to parents showing the preferred traffic pattern. The recommended route enters via Doubletree Road and exits via Deerhill Road. But some parents insist on turning left into the Shadow Ridge townhouse development as a time-saver.

The Shadow Ridge Homeown-ers’ Association has installed private property signs to discourage parents from using its streets, but because the roads entering the complex are accessible to through-traffic, the signage is less than effective. Moreover, the sheriff’s department cannot ticket motorists who use Shadow Ridge as a shortcut.

Medea Creek Principal Laurel Ford has told Shadow Ridge residents that the school wants to be a good neighbor. "We really want to make everyone happy," she said. "But after all of the attempts we have made on our side, the ball is now in the court of Shadow Ridge residents. They must do something since they have jurisdiction."

It’s not the school’s responsibility, Ford said, to install private security gates at the townhouses. Gates would eliminate the problem, she said. "We have done all that is possible on our side and the sheriff’s department’s hands are tied because it is not illegal to use those roads."

School officials have met with Ventura County traffic and safety officials and consulted with director of transportation Nazir Lalani to offer possible solutions.

The county recently installed new highly visible signs, painted curbs and crosswalks and even placed barriers on the road to prevent vehicles from making left turns––all this to keep traffic flowing in one direction.

Still with all these efforts, there’s always a few parents who make things difficult for the rest, according to Ford.

But the majority are cooperating and obeying the rules, she said.