Alice Birney Elementary School is an important part of our University Heights community, and keeping students, families, staff, and neighbors safe during arrival and dismissal is a shared responsibility.
“Love Birney Bees” artwork from Margot Millpentz.
Birney is undergoing a major Whole Site Modernization project that will bring important improvements to campus, including a new administration building, a transitional kindergarten classroom, and additional site improvements and modernization.
The project is currently underway and is expected to continue through December 2029.
While these improvements will benefit the school community for years to come, construction also means temporary changes around campus, increased congestion, and the need for extra care when traveling through nearby streets.
School arrival and dismissal are already busy times, particularly along Campus and Meade avenues and at nearby intersections where children walk, cross streets, and enter or exit vehicles.
The Birney Beekeepers Alliance (BBA), Birney’s parent-teacher organization, encourages everyone traveling near campus to slow down, watch carefully for pedestrians, use designated crossings, and be patient with one another. Families are encouraged to follow school guidance regarding drop-off and pick-up and to be mindful of temporary construction-related changes.
We also need the community’s help in identifying opportunities to improve traffic safety. The BBA is encouraging parents, caregivers, and neighbors to submit requests through the City of San Diego’s Get It Done system to report traffic safety concerns and request improvements.
One current priority is establishing a clearly marked student loading and unloading zone on Meade Avenue to help organize drop-off and pick-up and reduce conflicts between vehicles and pedestrians.