Speed Bumps Installed At Vernon Center Middle School

VERNON, CT — Parents and students woke up to a new set of speed bumps at Vernon Center Middle School on Monday.

The speed bumps were installed over the weekend and they essentially circle the building — from the north driveway, around to the main entrance and around to the rear of the school.

Vernon Superintendent of Schools Joseph Macary said the speed bumps are part of the school system's all-hazard safety plan, paid for out of the capital improvement plan.

"Safety is, of course," a priority at our schools," Macary said.

The speed bumps at VCMS follow those installed at Rockville High School, also along pickup and drop-off patterns. They were ready for the start of the 2023-24 school year. School system officials had toyed with temporary speed bumps over the past four years, but decided to go with the permanent, larger speed bumps for this school year and beyond.

The VCMS speed bumps will be marked and painted similarly to those at the high school, Macary said.

When asked whether speeding also factored in the decision, Macary said, "a bit."

Macary said some of the elementary schools that were ore spread out may also get a few of the speed bumps and he used Center Road School as an example. Those schools with tighter parking areas and driveways will not, he said.