Site Planning
Site Access and Egress:
Deferred Phase 1 provides for one new entrance on the west side to provide parent drop-off via the circle drive, service access to relocated kitchen, future bus access, and access to new parking areas.
Phase 3 provided for New North Student parking with same site access but separation from bus areas.
Phase 4 A has no Sitework.
Future Phases of the site upgrade will provide:
The second new entrance on the west side of the building lines up directly with the Gym/Pool area providing for Bus, student, and activity access. This entry and exit also provides access to the Service Area by district vehicles.
The use of the existing traffic signal at 20th and Bragaw will continue with ability to make a left turn off the site for Bus traffic and student traffic.
The connection of the new student parking on the east with the existing staff parking allows for the mandatory emergency fire department access.
The southeast entrances to drop-off and parking have been combined into one entrance to serve both functions. This allows for much larger extended parent drop off on the south and also added drop-off on the east side with less confusion. The existing south exit onto Northern Lights has been retained.
Bus Drop-off:
In Future phases the bus drop-off area has been relocated to the west side of the building to correspond with the new main building entrance being created at the center of the Benson Building. Further, this separates the student parking and bus drop off for ease of circulation and access and egress to the site. The bus drop area can be used for event parking, as it is now adjacent to the main Gym/Pool complex or with access to the new main west entry.
The parent drop-off area has been expanded in Phase 1 and has more than doubled the length of curb for drop-off and pickup. Additionally, they occur on three sides of the facility and with access to two entrances and exits. This will alleviate the major traffic congestion that often backs out onto Northern Lights and is a severe hazard for parents and students. Expansion of the south drop-off will occur in Phase 3.
Building Entrances:
The building entrances have been focused on the south and west entries for drop-off and bus access. The new north entry into the commons through the court has been created. The convoluted up and down entry through the gym/pool has been minimized as a main entry due to its poor supervision and narrowness. Most of the students will enter into the New Main Commons with branches to the various areas of the facility.
Parking:
Student Phase 3
New student parking located to the east of the Gym will facilitate access directly into the New Main Commons area. The access road to the staff parking on the southeast corner will be gated for fire trucks only. This will separate the student and bus parking for less congestion. This also creates two new soccer fields.
Parent Deferred Phase 1 and Phase 3
The parent parking includes the existing and expanded parking on the south and new parking on the west side of the building. This is more than double the amount now available, which is very insufficient, and in constant use.
Staff Deferred Phase 1
Staff Parking has been maintained and expanded. We have shown parking on both the east and west sides of the building in a slightly increased amount than currently available. There is also secondary staff parking associated with the district vehicle parking just to the west of the Gym.
Activity and Event Parking Phase 5 and 6
We have relocated the activity and event parking from the north parking lot to the east Student Parking lot and the Bus Drop area. There is equal parking to existing and the additional parking on the west and east lots for staff and parents can be used for event parking.
Playfields and accessory use areas:
In Phases 5 and 6 the extreme shortage of playfields and athletic outdoor spaces is being corrected with the addition of two full soccer fields in the location of the current north parking lot and the creation of a new softball field where the existing small soccer field is currently located on the east side of the building. The elimination of unutilized hockey rink allows for the new student parking. Two of the tennis courts are also relocated to make room for the student parking. The reduced staff parking on the east allows for a softball diamond or additional soccer practice field. The existing practice field on the east side of facility remains. This is almost a doubling of playfield surface from the existing.
Landscaping of site:
In each Phases of work the entire site is being landscaped to meet the Title 21 requirements for parking lot screening, screening at the streets and internal courtyard areas. This is required for all new site development enhancements at MOA facilities.