For many of us, it's the first traffic jam we face each day. Maybe the only one.

We're speaking, of course, about the school drop-off and pickup lanes. Sometimes it runs like clockwork. Sometimes not so much. By now, most school districts have been back in session for several weeks, so we thought it would be a good time for some basic do's and don'ts for parents who perform this important mission.

We talked to school administrators at some of the larger suburban districts, and all of them said they put a great deal of time and thought into the daily rite to make sure everyone gets through the drop-off and pickup lane efficiently and safely.

"We never master it," said Eric Arbetter, principal of Walker Elementary School in Florissant. "From year to year, things change and we have to adjust and revise procedures. What we have going on has been effective. A few years ago, we had to revise what we were doing because suddenly we had a lot more car riders than we had the years before."

Walker, which has 340 students, is on a residential street, and the city doesn't like cars stacking up on the main street, Humes Lane. That's more of a concern at the end of the day, the busiest time. Arbetter said the fine-tuning has paid off: Parent drivers usually get through the lane within about five minutes or so — better than in the past.

While policies vary from school to school — and you should be familiar with yours — here are some tips:

— Parents shouldn't leave their car unattended in the pickup/drop-off lane. That tends to slow things down.

— Observe the speed limits. Some districts have special speed limits in their driveways that are significantly lower than the residential norm.

— Always be on the lookout for students and others.

— Remember which lane is yours and which one isn't. Some districts have dedicated bus loading zones.

— Have your child enter or exit your car on the passenger side to keep them out of the traffic lanes.

Remember, schools can be a convergence of buses, cars and pedestrians, so be patient and cooperative to make sure everyone arrives safely.



Q. I have two concerns about the light signal where Interstate 170 meets Galleria Parkway in Richmond Heights. In the eastbound Galleria Parkway lanes, the left lane is supposed to be a left turn only to I-170, but the painted turn arrows have faded off the ground, and there is no sign stating this on the light. The problem is that since Metro opened that parking lot, people turning into the lot are crossing that intersection in the left lane. They cross into the right lane without realizing they are doing it, and I'm afraid there will be an accident.

— Bea Wilmering, Richmond Heights

The Missouri Department of Transportation said it will check with Gateway Constructors — the contractor on the Highway 40 (Interstate 64) project — to see about repainting those stripes. Since Metro opened the 55-space lot at the Richmond Heights MetroLink station this summer, the lot is regularly filled to capacity. But to get to it, eastbound motorists should get into the right lane of Galleria Parkway to proceed straight through the intersection to the parking lot, said MoDOT spokeswoman Linda Wilson.

Q. Now that the western half of the Highway 40 project is complete, will bicycle lanes be returned to Clayton Road? Clayton Road is a major route for east-west bicycle traffic, and it would be terrific if the road could be once again striped for bike lanes.

— Tom Vesely, St. Louis

It will be up to the elected leaders in Frontenac. Aldermen are weighing the safety implications, City Administrator Bob Shelton said. On one hand, Clayton Road is safer for motorists if it continues to have three lanes, he said. But this configuration puts traffic on the shoulders, and the shoulders aren't strong enough to handle the load permanently. The original two-lane configuration is safer for pedestrians and bicyclists.

Don't expect a decision on this issue this fall, Shelton said. St. Louis County plans to return control of the road to Frontenac, and it will resurface Clayton Road sometime next year. Aldermen must let the county know by the time resurfacing work starts how to stripe the lanes.

Q. When taking the Dougherty Ferry exit from southbound 270 and making a right turn onto Dougherty Ferry, is a right turn on red allowed? There is no sign indicating that, and the white stop line is a bit distant from the corner itself. There is a dedicated lane on westbound Dougherty Ferry for those on the exit ramp in the right-most lane, but it's somewhat ambiguous whether a motorist should wait for a green light, or go ahead and turn on red if it's safe to proceed.

— D.S., Manchester

You may turn right there, and anywhere as long as a sign doesn't prohibit it and it's safe to do so. By the way, you're not the only driver confused by that interchange. About every other month, we receive an e-mail from a motorist wondering about turning right on red there. So if you get stuck behind someone who is awaiting a green, be patient.