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Wake Prep adjusting carpool line to ease congestion on Capital Blvd. in Youngsville

After a third day of delays on Capital Boulevard in Youngsville, leaders from the newly opened Wake Preparatory Academy are planning to meet with representatives of the North Carolina Department of Transportation to see if they can ease clogs caused by the carpool line.

Posted Updated

By
Monica Casey
, WRAL Durham reporter & Nia Harden, WRAL reporter
WAKE FOREST, N.C. — After a third day of delays on Capital Boulevard in Youngsville, leaders from the newly opened Wake Preparatory Academy are planning to meet with representatives of the North Carolina Department of Transportation to see if they can ease clogs caused by the carpool line.

Viewer video sent to WRAL News on Tuesday shows long lines of cars on the first day of school for Wake Preparatory Academy. On Wednesday and Thursday Sky 5 showed more of the same.

A Wake Prep spokeswoman told WRAL News that the time in line had been cut in half and that additional changes were on the way.

"We are adjusting the stacking of more cars on campus during driveline instead of on Capital Boulevard, updating our dismissal procedures, and providing additional education to parents, students, and staff on driveline processes to create a smoother traffic flow," she said.

Wake Preparatory Academy serves students kindergarten through 12th grade, and everyone starts and finishes school at the same time, according to the school's website.

Students said they were waiting for hours for their parents to pick them up from school on Tuesday afternoon, some even waiting until 6 p.m. outside in the heat.

One student who spoke to WRAL News said she and her mother now are walking to the school, even though the area is heavily trafficked and does not have sidewalks.

Businesses near the new school say the heavy traffic is hurting their bottom line.

"The traffic yesterday was unbelievable. I've never seen anything like it," said Sharon Browning, who has worked at Robbins Chiropractic Center for years.

She said traffic on Capital Boulevard during drop-off and pick-up of Wake Preparatory Academy students has been unprecedented – and the back-ups are affecting her clients.

"This morning they were calling me, and they said 'We're stuck. I can't get to you,' and of course I made adjustments, obviously because it's not their fault," said Browning.

The long line of cars is also impacting customers next door at Patriot Shooting Sports.

Co-owner Aaron Byrd said for three hours, from 3 to 6 p.m., a lot of customers complained about not being able to get to the store or leave the store.

Byrd says other schools have been able to find solutions.

"I'd like to see them put a little more effort into directing the traffic, which will help with the flow," said Byrd. "I know a lot of other charter and private schools have staff that go out and direct the traffic."

Browning believes there are multiple options, like including a staggered opening and a better use of the school's large parking lot.

"It needs to be addressed before somebody gets hurt," Browning said.

School officials said in a Facebook post on Wednesday that parents were able to get through the drive-thru line in "as little as 30 minutes."

"We are committed to continuing to reduce this, and we fully expect to be able to achieve this as both our staff and families become familiar with the drive line process," the statement on their Facebook post said.

The Youngsville Police Department told WRAL News they have not been contacted to assist with traffic control.

The Franklin County Sheriff's Office was monitoring the situation but deputies have not been asked to direct traffic.

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