New Preschool Proposal Has Some Norwood Park Residents Concerned About Traffic Congestion
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Some people in Norwood Park are not happy about a preschool Chicago Public Schools is planning to build in the area.
A meeting is set for Tuesday night in the community where people say traffic is already congested. And now CPS wants to add at least 10 more classrooms for free preschool students, meaning more cars and congestion.
A traffic study has been ordered because of those concerns.
Each classroom would cost $1 million, give or take 20%.
Some parents and people who live nearby feel those classrooms would be a misuse of money.
Longtime Norwood Park resident Diane Blaszczyk said a CPS meeting last month offered very few answers about the plan.
The idea would also mean getting rid of green space used regularly for recreation.
Tuesday night residents like Blaszczyk plan to speak during a meeting with CPS representatives at Norwood Park Elementary.
She said she hopes to weigh in before the plan is set in stone, and they're stuck with more traffic trouble.
"It's hard just driving through this neighborhood when the school's starting and when school's letting out. It's very congested here," she said.
CPS said no decision has been made yet, and the center wouldn't open until fall 2021 or could be in another location entirely.
Blaszczyk believes the meeting, set to begin at 6 p.m., will be a full house based on the turnout at last month's meeting.
