Traffic around Iola’s three former elementary schools will flow differently in the coming days as city crews revamp signage around each of the buildings.
Iola Police Chief Jared Warner provided a list of the changes that will take effect as soon as city crews can remove the signs.
Some have already occurred, including removal of stop signs near the former Jefferson Elementary School, along Broadway Street at its intersection with Sycamore.
Of note, north- and south-bound traffic on Sycamore still has to stop at the intersection.
Meanwhile, one-block stretches of Madison Avenue and Breckenridge Street near the former Lincoln and McKinley school buildings, respectively, will no longer be one-way routes. Additional stop signs will be added for westbound traffic on Madison and eastbound drivers on Breckenridge as those routes are opened.
Most of the other changes involve removing school zone and no-parking signage near each of the buildings.
Warner said Iola’s Street and Alley Department workers will remove the signs as their schedule permits.
Meanwhile, he and Assistant City Administrator Corey Schinstock are talking with Iola-USD 257 school officials about monitoring traffic near the new Iola Elementary School, which opens its doors later this month.
Having a single elementary school will add to traffic congestion along Kentucky Street, but may result in fewer headaches in the long run, Warner noted, because officers will not be spread out to monitor three schools at once.
