Beaver Creek construction update for TOAST families

The following message is from Thomas O'Brien Academy of Science and Technology Principal Sophia Newell. You also can download this letter.

Dear TOAST families:

I am writing to update you on developments that will affect our entire school community beginning in May due to the Beaver Creek Clean River Project construction in Lincoln Park.

The City of Albany notified the City School District of Albany and our school at the start of April of the plan to close off the road in front of TOAST to through traffic. This temporary change in our traffic pattern will affect student dropoff and pickup, as well as parking. The new traffic pattern will be in place throughout the construction project, which is scheduled for completion in December 2022. 

We know this temporary change will be an inconvenience for our students, families faculty and staff. We have been working closely with the city, with assistance from Superintendent Kaweeda G. Adams and district leadership, to develop a plan that prioritizes safety for everyone in our school community, especially our students. 

The temporary change to the traffic pattern in front of our school will close the road to one-way through traffic and create a new two-way traffic loop entering and exiting from Delaware Avenue. This will have an impact on student dropoff and pickup locations and routines. 

• New traffic patterns will begin Monday, May 10
  • The TOAST access road will be closed to through traffic
    • The city will station flaggers at the entry/exit at Delaware Avenue during drop-off and pick-up hours. Please use caution driving on Delaware near this intersection
    • There will be a stop sign during off-peak hours for vehicles exiting TOAST onto Delaware
    • A crossing guard will continue to cross pedestrians in this location
  • Also beginning May 10, parents and guardians of students in grades 1-5 will dropoff and pickup using the Sunshine School access road behind TOAST, by the Lincoln Park tennis courts
    • First Student buses, and dropoff/pickup for prekindergarten and kindergarten students, will continue in the front of the building

Please read on for more information. You can download additional information from the city, including maps illustrating these traffic and parking changes. You also can visit the city's website for detailed information about the full scope of the Beaver Creek project.

Changes to student dropoff and pickup

With student safety foremost in our minds, the change in the traffic pattern in front of our school will mean that we will need a new plan for student dropoff and pickup throughout the project. This is necessary to alleviate traffic congestion as much as possible in the interest of student safety at the beginning and end of our school day.  

As noted above, the following changes will take effect Monday, May 10. 

Prekindergarten and kindergarten dropoff/pickup

• Dropoff/pickup for pre-K and K students will continue in the front of school
• We are designating a new pre-K/K dropoff/pickup area immediately in front of school to assist with traffic flow. The city is assisting us with traffic and pedestrian road lining for this purpose. We will have building staff assigned to this student dropoff/pickup location
• There will be a new traffic loop for vehicles to continue back out to Delaware after dropping off or picking up (please see the materials the city has provided that illustrate this new traffic flow)
• Please remember that the TOAST road will be two-way traffic beginning May 10. No parking will be allowed on either side of the road
• If you are dropping off or picking up your pre-K or K student, we ask that you use caution and remain patient as we all get used to the new traffic pattern and routines

Grades 1-5 dropoff/pickup

• Parents and guardians of students in grades 1-5 will use the new dropoff and pickup location on the Sunshine access road behind school, near the Lincoln Park tennis courts
  • The entire Sunshine access road will be one-way leading from Delaware to MLK Drive. You will enter the dropoff/pickup area off Delaware. We will designate a dropoff/pickup lane using traffic safety cones, and also will assign staff to assist with traffic flow and student safety in the morning and afternoon
  • After dropping off or picking up your child, you will continue straight through the park and exit on MLK Drive. Please drive slowly through this area
• Students in grades 1-5 will access the back entrance of our building using the path from the Sunshine access road to TOAST. The city will repave the path and trim some of the lower-hanging branches in that area prior to May 10
• If you are dropping off or picking up your child in this location, we ask that you use caution and remain patient as we all get used to the new traffic pattern and routines

First Student buses

• No changes for dropoff and pickup. All First Student buses will continue to use the front loop. The buses will circle around out of the bus loop and return to Delaware.

Parking changes

The Beaver Creek construction project will change the availability of parking on the road in front of school for the duration of the project. 

• The parking spaces on the north side of our entry road near Delaware will be removed beginning Monday, May 3
• Also effective May 3, the city will add eight curbside parking spaces on the opposite side of the road (the south or school side of our access road). These lines will be put down this weekend (May 1-2), along with the other road markings to define the new traffic pattern that will start May 10. These eight new spots will be designated for faculty and staff
• As noted above, we are removing parking spots immediately in front of school as a safety measure to create a dropoff/pickup lane for our pre-K and K families. Limited parking, including handicapped and visitor parking, will continue to be available in front of school
• The district has added parking spots for TOAST faculty and staff in the Sunshine School parking lot above our school. These spots are for our faculty and staff only due to the loss of parking spots in front of school
• Our side parking lot off Delaware will continue to be available
• Street parking in the neighborhood also is available

The safety of our students, faculty and staff has been our top priority in planning for these changes that are a result of the city’s construction project. In addition to the changing traffic patterns directly affecting our school, please also be aware that these changes could cause increased traffic congestion on Delaware Avenue during our busy times in the morning and afternoon. 

The Beaver Creek Clean Water Project will have a positive impact on our city, significantly improving the water quality of the Hudson River and reducing sewer overflows by adding new sewer infrastructure in Lincoln Park. Our school community also has worked with the city to plan for educational enhancements that will be included in the project and will directly benefit our students once construction is completed. These educational enhancements will include covered outdoor classrooms, a nature-inspired play area, a meditation labyrinth and outdoor exercise space. 

Your patience, cooperation and attention to these important new traffic safety patterns will be deeply appreciated as we work together to minimize the impact of this project on our school community over the next 18 months. 

If you have any additional questions, please contact me at school at (518) 475-6875 or snewell@albany.k12.ny.us. 

Sincerely,

Sophia Newell
Principal