School bus passes still available Although...

School bus passes still available

Although the deadline is past for Laguna Beach School District bus

pass applications, it’s not too late to get them turned in.

“If everyone arrives a few days before the beginning of school to

purchase their bus passes we are unable to process and issue them all

in time,” warned Christina Jordan, secretary at the district office.

Even worse, parents who wait to the last minute may find

themselves waiting in hot, sweaty lines.

The district mailed out bus application packets July 12 with a

requested due date of Aug. 2. However if parents lost or misplaced

their applications, they can call or stop by the district office.

About 1,550 of the district’s 1,820 K-8 students used bus passes

last year. Jordan also advised parents who plan to have their

children ride the buses to take a moment and review their route. She

also suggested that parents wait with their children at the bus stops

until they become familiar and comfortable with riding the bus.

The district office is at 550 Blumont St. and can be reached at

(949) 497-7700, Ext. 310.

City seeks solution to Anneliese traffic

Anyone who regularly drives out past Anneliese Preschool on Laguna

Canyon Road knows that they might run into slower traffic as parents

drop off and pick up students.

In an effort to find a solution to this problem Councilwoman Toni

Iseman proposed at Tuesday’s City Council meeting that the city

retain a traffic engineer to analyze options for improved access to

the preschool.

“It is too close to the intersection at El Toro Road for a light,”

she said at the meeting. “I worry about what could happen out there.”

Part of the proposal, which was supported unanimously by the

council, includes taking a close look at using county parkland

located off El Toro Road to create an easement road into the school.

In addition to eliminating left turns, Iseman also hoped that it

would help ease traffic into the Laguna Coast Wilderness Park on the

southbound side of Laguna Canyon Road.

The cost to hire a traffic engineer -- who will also be directed

to examine the Caltrans/County plans to widen Laguna Canyon Road --

will be $5,000. The money will be taken from the balance in the

Parking Fund. Costs for purchasing and constructing the easement road

were not discussed.

Representatives from Anneliese Preschool were not available for

comment.

“I’m supportive of looking at options to make a tricky situation

less tricky,” said Councilman Paul Freeman.

-- Mary A. Castillo