Glenbard West High School student commuters soon could be required to get a permit to park on some streets around campus as part of a plan to resolve the longstanding parking problem at the Glen Ellyn campus.
Under a proposal that received tentative blessing of the Glenbard District 87 board Monday, as many as 70 spaces could be set aside on Lenox Road, Park Row and Crescent Boulevard, where many students park. The school would issue permits based on need, commuting distance and year in school.
Details will be worked out if residents living in the affected area and Glen Ellyn trustees approve the idea. School district and village officials said they are confident the proposal could be implemented in the fall.
Lack of adequate parking spaces has been a problem for years. The campus has 242 spaces for staff and students, with about 40 designated for students. At a nearby municipal parking lot, about 20 spaces are allocated for Glenbard West students. Five are being used.
Some 90 students still park their cars in the neighborhood, often in areas where parking is subject to time restrictions. Students routinely move their cars during the lunch hour to comply with parking restrictions and then go to lunch, school officials said.
The result has been traffic congestion, litter in the neighborhood and complaints from residents about reckless driving. As many as 30 parking tickets are issued on a given day. A student-organized committee picks up litter in the area.