Beginning Monday, Sept. 9, traffic during pickup times at U.S. Jones Elementary School will be routed differently than it has been in the past.

The purpose of the changes is to split the flow of all traffic from coming in on East Jackson Street.

Each grade will have a different pickup area, with traffic coming from different directions and different streets. Each grade will come in from different directions causing traffic at the main intersection at East Jackson and Front Street to diminish.

Third grade students will be picked up in front of the school. It is recommended that parents use East Decatur Street, then turn right on Theo Ratliff Street, then right onto East Jackson Street and into the third-grade pickup zone. There will be school officials and police officers directing traffic. Exit by going west on Jackson Street.

For fourth grade students, the pickup zone will be on Front Street, coming from East Perry Street. During the hours of 7:30-8:30 a.m. and 2:30-3:30 p.m., East Perry Street will be made a one-way street for fourth-grade traffic.

It is recommended that parents come in on East Perry next to the old Marvin’s building, or off of one of the side streets from East Jackson or East Decatur Street. A school official will direct traffic at the intersection of East Perry and Front Street. Parents will turn left into the right lane on Front Street for pickup and drop off. The exit will be to East Decatur Street.

Fifth grade pickup and drop off will be in the left lane of Front Street next to the school. Traffic should come from either East Jackson or Front Street. From 7:45-8:15 a.m. and 2:50-3:15 p.m., East Jackson will be a left turn only for fifth-grade traffic. The right lane on Front Street before East Perry is designated for emergency vehicles.

After pickup, parents should stay in the left lane and proceed to East Decatur Street. A school official will direct traffic at this location. If a parent is picking up children in two different grades, the older child should go to the younger child’s pickup zone.

The goal for the plan is to have the bulk of the traffic cleared by 3:12 p.m. or earlier.