Traffic and safety changes at Puyallup school will affect drop-off and pick-up
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Traffic improvements finish; pick-up/drop-off resumes Jan. 5.
- Capital levy approved in 2024 funded lot extensions, bus area conversion and tree removal.
- District and city will monitor traffic, add adjustments; crossing guard guides parents.
Traffic improvements are wrapping up at Fruitland Elementary School in Puyallup.
According to a post on the Puyallup School District’s website, pick up and drop-offs will resume at the school on Jan. 5.
For the first four months of the school year, parents have had to pick up and drop off their students at the nearby Kessler Center.
These improvements – which are funded by a capital levy that voters approved in 2024 – aim to reduce traffic congestion and increase safety at the school.
“Fruitland Elementary’s main entrance sits on a curved section of Fruitland Avenue. For years, this location has created challenges during busy student drop-off and pick-up times, increasing congestion and safety concerns for families, staff, and nearby residents,” the district’s website says. “The traffic improvements are now largely complete and open for families to use, with final landscaping still underway. The District’s Capital Projects team will continue working closely with the City of Puyallup to monitor traffic flow and make additional adjustments as needed to further reduce risk for all road users.”
According to a June 2025 document the district sent to the state Department of Ecology, these improvements include:
- Extending the south parking lot to create a passenger drop off/pick up area, “as well as additional onsite queueing and parking stalls.”
- Repurposing the north parking lot into a bus drop off/pick up area.
Crews have also removed some trees as part of the project, the document says.
“These improvements are designed to create a safer and more efficient experience during peak school hours,” the district’s website says. “The work benefits students and families, neighborhood residents, and emergency responders by reducing congestion, improving visibility, and allowing traffic to move more smoothly through the area. Reducing idling vehicles will also help lower environmental impact, supporting a healthier and more sustainable community.”
When pick-ups and drop-offs resume on Jan. 5, the district is reminding parents to avoid parking in the fire lane and near the gym, which is reserved for buses.
“A crossing guard will be stationed at the end of the outer lane serving grades K through 2,” the district’s website says. “Please pull forward as far as possible before letting students exit vehicles.”
