New traffic controls and parking restrictions are coming to Carver Elementary and Naaman Forest High School on Monday.
The Garland Transportation Department periodically conducts school safety studies to respond to identified problems. A study this year indicated traffic changes at the schools were needed because of congestion.
"Our first priority is safety, particularly for our kids, and the second is ... make it work right, make it work better," said Robert Wunderlich, the city's senior managing director of transportation and engineering.
Parents at both Carver and Naaman Forest say they dread the commute.
"There's always traffic backed all the way to [Highway] 190," said Deborah Alexander, parent of a Naaman Forest student. "Then there's kids running in front of your car because parents drop them [off] on the wrong side of the street."
At Carver Elementary School, no parking is allowed along Wynn Joyce and Country Club roads between the prime problem hours between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. Parents have to follow the new traffic flows and use the parking lots.
At Naaman Forest High School, no parking is allowed at any time on Naaman Forest Boulevard along both curbs between Ranger Drive and Elliot Avenue.
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The city is expanding Naaman Forest Boulevard as a connector road to the George Bush Turnpike, which is scheduled to open this month.
"We think it will be a big improvement," Wunderlich said. "But we really needed to make sure this was all right and wasn't a conflict between school traffic and other traffic."
Naaman Forest students say the changes are a relief.
"It's just going to save a lot of time and stress, which we don't need, being at school," student Conner Leschber said.
New signs go up Monday.
