Directions/Parking

Traffic & Parking Regulations

Don Hillard, Traffic Coordinator

The following parking and traffic regulations and procedures have been established in consultation with the Seattle Police Department, traffic engineers from the City of Seattle, parents, school administrators from both The Bush School and Martin Luther King Elementary, and the local community council. Our intent in providing this information is to ensure safety and efficiency in traffic management, and to respect the rights of Bush's residential neighbors to adequate parking and unimpeded access to their homes.

The Bush School has a legally binding agreement with the neighbors. The agreement requires:

All cars driven to the school by Bush Parents, Faculty, Staff and students must display a Bush School permit.
License numbers and descriptions must be registered with The Bush School.
Two weeks advance notice is required when events with more than 100 people and/or require the parking of 50 cars. These events should be scheduled by the Facilities Scheduler @ (206) 322-7978.
Do not park in violation of the parking restrictions. Please refer to the 2003-2004 Traffic and Parking Map, immediately following the Traffic and Parking Regulations section in the Blue Book or read text below.

The Basics

Always drive safely.
Do not block or turn around in private driveways.
Do not park so close to our neighbor's cars that they cannot be moved when needed.
Obey all City of Seattle traffic ordinances, especially those governing parking and unmarked crosswalks.
Do not stop for any reason at Big Tree to park, pick up or drop off passengers; stopping in this area is a city traffic violation during the pick-up and drop-off times.
Double parking and u-turns are not permitted on East Harrison.
Cell phone use is prohibited in the lower school lot during pick-up.

Student Drop-Off Procedures

Student drop-off must only take place on East Harrison Street in the legally marked areas west of 36th Avenue East on The Bush School side of the street. Orange traffic cones will be placed in the zones marked "no stopping;" please continue past the cones to legal loading zones.
Pull as far forward as possible to leave room for other cars to pull up behind you.
For safety, students must never leave or enter a car that is double-parked or notparked at the curb.
If you need to park for a few minutes before 9:15 am, you may park in the Lower School play field. All cars must be removed before the gates are shut and locked at 9:15 am.

Student Pick-Up Procedures

All students must be picked up from the Lower School playground at the far west end of campus off East Harrison Street.
The pick up line starts at the playfield and continues east towards Lake Washington Blvd. The school Traffic Coordinator will be there to direct traffic in and out of the lot. Do not park your car on the north side of Harrison to pick up your child.
Make sure your child knows what time you expect to pick him/her up so he/she is ready and waiting for you.
Lower School students may be picked up beginning at 3:20 pm, Monday through Thursday, and 2:30 pm on Fridays.
Lower School does not offer any after-school activities. Therefore, students should be picked up at dismissal time. Any students who are not picked up in a timely fashion will be asked to call home and wait for their parents in the Lower School office until 4:00 pm. After 4:00 pm they will be checked in to the Extended Day Program and their parents will be charged an emergency extended day program fee.
Any Lower School students needing after-school programs should be enrolled in the Extended Day Program. LS students are not allowed to wait in the classrooms, library or Commons.
Middle and Upper School students may be picked up beginning at 3:30 pm, Monday through Friday.
If your MS child is not picked up by 3:45 pm, he/she will go to the MS after school program located in MS classrooms 16, 17, 18, and charged an emergency drop-in fee.

Enforcement

The Bush School will routinely and regularly patrol the area adjacent to the school to enforce compliance with the parking restrictions established with the school's neighbors. Students who violate parking restrictions will be referred to the Upper School Director.
Students will be asked to move improperly parked cars immediately, even if this means leaving a class or other activity.
Violations will be treated as disciplinary matters.
Repeat violations will be referred to the Head of School.
Tenth graders are not permitted to drive to school except in hardship cases as determined by the Upper School Director.
Adults who violate parking or other traffic management regulations will be sent a letter by Bush's Transportation Coordinator reminding them of appropriate compliance. Repeat offenses will be first referred to the Director of Finance and Operations and then to the Head of School.

Specific Parking Information

For school events, the parking lots adjacent to Phelps and Schuchart gymnasiums should be filled first.
During normal school hours and all scheduled after hours events, Bush School parking will be prohibited on the following streets (in accordance with the neighborhood agreement):
- Both sides of 35th Ave. E. from E. Harrison St. to E. Thomas St.
- Both sides of 36th Ave. E. from E. Harrison St. to E. Thomas St.
- Both sides of 36th Ave. E. from Lake Washington Blvd. E. to and including Ford Pl. E.
- The south side of E. Harrison St. from 36th Ave. E. to and including the west side of 37th Ave. E. and Dorffel Dr. E. to E. Thomas St.
- The east side of Hillside Dr. E. in the block north of Lake Washington Blvd. E.
- The north side of E. Republican St. between 32nd Ave. E. and Lake Washington Blvd. E.
- The east side of 34th Ave. E. from E. Harrison St. to E. Thomas St.
- Both sides of Lake Washington Blvd. E.

Please refer to the Traffic and Parking Map provided. If you have any questions, please call the Facilities Department at 206-326-7766.

Again, our foremost goal is the safety of your child/ren and the Bush community. Your cooperation will help us be good neighbors and will enable the drop off and pick up process to run efficiently.