Mora Public School Families,
One of the changes to the new campus will be the increase in traffic during specific times of the day. We all know the traffic flow 10-15 minutes before and after school is always busy. Mora Schools has been meeting and discussing options for managing traffic flow at and around our campus with the City of Mora, Kanabec County, and MnDOT these past three years. Below are some strategies Mora Schools along with our city, county, and state partners have developed to maximize traffic flow and create safe routes to schools.
The new Mora High School will have two entrances and exits to access the school and parking lot. One off of 9th Street and another off of Grove Street.
Mora Elementary and High School will have staggered start and end times. Elementary students who are picked up or walk will be released earlier to provide better traffic flow.
MES will release students at 2:55 pm and MHS will release students at 3:00 pm.
Mora High School will have a longer queue for drop off and pick up to help alleviate congestion on 9th Street. These vehicles will exit north out of the parking lot and onto Grove Street.
The City of Mora and MnDOT will add a left turn lane on Hwy 65 to enter 9th Street. This will help traffic turn onto 9th Street.
In addition, MnDOT has extended their Hwy 65 and Hwy 23 corridor study to include the 9th St./Hwy 65 intersection. Although the project will not be completed for several more years, it is helpful to know this intersection will be studied and reviewed. The City of Mora has secured a Safe Routes to School grant to extend the walking trail from 9th to Wood Street, connecting a safe off-street pedestrian route to and from school and residential and downtown areas. Mora Schools will continue to work closely with our city, county, and state agencies to observe, review, and make needed adjustments and improvements to help manage traffic during peak times before and after school.
We will continue to communicate and educate students, parents, staff, and community members about school transportation and traffic management. We pledge to do our very best to create a safe school zone, maximize traffic flow, and make adjustments as needed. Thank you in advance for your patience and cooperation as we navigate these changes.
