Brandon Twp – School opens Aug. 24, but the South Street bridge will not’and officials are asking for patience, in trade for child safety.
‘We are asking parents to use caution and patience when taking their kids to school,? said Bart Jenniches, Brandon School District superintendent, adding that additional congestion created by the bridge detour jeopardizes the safety of the students who walk to and from Fletcher Elementary.
Jenniches said for additional safety, while the bridge is closed, the district added a bus stop at the corner of Church and Pond streets for students who normally walk from the downtown area.
‘This will help our concern of these students walking on South Street while there are such traffic problems,? Jenniches said.
‘This will be in effect until the bridge opens again.?
Students who travel from Glass Road are also a concern to Jenniches who suggested that parents use Granger or Viola to University for Harvey-Swanson and H.T. Burt student drop-off.
In a collaborative safety effort the Oakland County Sheriff Brandon Substation will assign additional officers, as well as Sgt. Tim McIsaac, at the intersections of University, South Street, and M-15 to ease traffic stack-ups.
As all buses and parent traffic will create an abnormally dense flow from those intersections onto M-15, McIsaac says the additional staffing will monitor and direct the stack-up during peak school traffic, until the bridge is reopened.
McIsaac said for additional traffic safety, the drive leading to the library and Fletcher Elementary will be cleared of all construction equipment.
The sergeant also reminds parents to be patient for the safety of the students.
‘The key is for parents to be patient and continue to drop off their kids in the rear of the building,? said McIsaac.
‘We are going to have some kinks to work out, but the main thing is kid safety first and foremost.?

Additional bus stop
Church and Pond streets
Pick up time: 7:24 a.m.
Drop off time: 3:00 p.m.