Most teachers, students, and faculty drive to school every morning. Since August 27, they have had to face a massive roadblock on Lake Shore Drive that makes the morning commute even longer.

According to the Chicago Department of Transportation (CDOT), the purpose of the construction is to “resurface N. Lake Shore Drive from Monroe St. to Grand Ave. and to make repairs to the bridge that carries Lake Shore Drive over LaSalle Drive.” Repairs are supposed to be completed by October 7.  

Nevertheless, those in the Parker community that drive to school are having a difficult time getting to and from destinations due to the construction and traffic along the roads. Freshman Jacobe Richard normally makes the 45-minute drive to Parker from West Pullman each morning, but because of the construction, it often takes him approximately an hour and 10 minutes.  As a result, Richard has had to find new ways to adjust and has started taking other means of transportation to get to and from school. “It was mainly figuring out different ways to get to school and what time we had to leave,” Richard said.

Richards is not alone. Upper School Spanish teacher Yadiner Sabir also has had many encounters with Lake Shore Drive traffic. She drives her family to and from school every day from the suburbs on Lake Shore Drive. Although CDOT recommends that drivers “take alternate routes to avoid delays, especially during peak travel times,” Sabir is not taking detours around the construction. “I’m worried that if I tried alternative routes that I will encounter more traffic.” Sabir said. Sabir lives in the suburbs and is frustrated with her long commute. “I don’t like it and I can’t wait for it to be over,” Sabir said. The construction has become part of her daily routine.

“I spend ten to twelve hours a day at school. It’s a long day,” Sabir said. Sabir, along with other teachers, spend most of their day at Parker. “We’re all very tired.” Sabir said. The extra traffic can add a tiring two more hours of driving on to Sabir’s day. “It does affect us, so I do understand when students arrive late in the mornings,” Sabir said. “The traffic is horrible, really horrible.”

Students and teachers are only one part of the Parker community. There are also many parents that drive their kids to and from school each day. Paula Holt, mother of freshman Sage Holt-Hall and sixth grader Gannon Holt-Hall travel up and down Lake Shore Drive from Hyde Park to get to school each morning. Once Holt found out about the construction, she started planning what she could do to avoid the massive traffic backups. She considered riding bikes and even just waking up earlier in the mornings. “It’s a little too far to ride bikes,” Holt said, “ and then for me if I am going back home.”

Holt has tried to use Apps like Waze to get around the traffic, but sticking to Lake Shore Drives still works best for them, despite the delays. “Sometimes to avoid the really bad traffic we have to go other ways which is a bit more complex,” Holt said. “Knowing that this is going to end on the seventh, I can just be like, okay it’s not much longer. With the scheduled end of construction fast approaching, hopefully it will finally end and Lake Shore Drive will be better than before.”