Drop-offs at Maplewood Middle School have been a headache for decades, with multiple efforts to improve the situation not quite making the grade.
Now the students have taken the issue into their own hands.
Last week, Maplewood Middle School’s STEAM Tank Team, led by MMS Creative Computing & Design teacher Mary Alice Zavocki, presented SOLUTION 3 – a plan to implement one-way traffic at key times of the morning surrounding the school – to Maplewood Township officials from the Department of Public Works and Maplewood Police, as well as to Township Committee Member Vic DeLuca and Asst. Supt. of Access & Equity Dr. Kevin Gilbert, after their project was listed as a finalist in the New Jersey School Board Association’s state-wide STEAM Tank Challenge.
After review by the officials, the students’ solution will be implemented starting Monday, March 24.
Read more details in the joint press release from Maplewood Township and the South Orange-Maplewood School District below.
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MAPLEWOOD TOWNSHIP & MAPLEWOOD MIDDLE SCHOOLERS COLLABORATE WITH MPD TO IMPLEMENT NEW ONE-WAY TRAFFIC CALMING PATTERN SURROUNDING MMS
MAPLEWOOD, NJ, [March 19, 2025] – On Monday, March 24, the Township of Maplewood will implement the brainchild of a group of students from Maplewood Middle School’s (MMS) STEAM Tank Team, led by MMS Creative Computing & Design teacher Mary Alice Zavocki.
Last week, the group proposed SOLUTION 3 – a plan to implement one-way traffic at key times of the morning surrounding the school – to Maplewood Township officials from Dept. of Public Works, Maplewood Police Department (MPD), and TC Member Vic De Luca after their traffic-calming project was listed as a finalist in the New Jersey School Board Association’s state-wide contest: STEAM Tank™ Challenge.
The STEAM Tank Team
Maplewood Township leaders, impressed with the students’ detailed plan to prioritize student safety during a critically active pedestrian window before school each morning, quickly moved to action. MPD will take the lead, supported by Maplewood Dept. of Public Works, on determining the exact times for the one-way traffic solution but it is likely to be 7:45 am to 8:15 am; and would include three streets around Maplewood Middle School (Burnet Street, Maple Terrace and Dunnell Road).
The current proposal suggests that, during the short window each morning, Burnet will be one-way off Baker (heading toward Pierson Road); Maple will be one-way off Burnet and Salter (heading toward Dunnell and RR tracks) and Dunnell will be one-way off Maple (heading toward Baker). Barricades with “Do Not Enter” signs will be placed at Burnet and Maple and Dunnell and Baker, and a barricade with a “No Right Turn” sign will be placed on Salter and Maple. The barricades will be positioned and removed each morning by police personnel. Permit parking on Maple will continue to be allowed prior to the one-way time period.
For more information on the NJSBA contest and the students involved in the project, please reach out to MMS Principal Dara Gronau at dgronau@somsd.k12.nj.us. For more information on Township implementation details, please reach out to MPD PIO, Bruno Marto, at bmarto@maplewoodnj.gov.
