08/23/2026
New Afternoon School Traffic Safety Measures Begin Monday at Eaton Elementary and North Middle Campus
Afternoon school traffic in the area of Highway 70 and Hickory Creek Road has become a dangerous and unsustainable situation. Beginning Monday, August 24, the Loudon County Sheriff’s Office will have two additional deputies assigned to the area from 2:00 p.m. until 4:00 p.m. each school day to help manage traffic and improve safety.
Beginning Monday, vehicles will not be permitted to park, stop, or wait along the sides of Highway 70 or Hickory Creek Road, doing so obstructs traffic and forces vehicles into oncoming lanes. Vehicles will also not be permitted to form lines or wait in the roadway in a manner that prevents traffic from moving safely and freely.
Except for emergencies or parents/guardians who need to make an authorized early pickup, we ask that drivers do not enter or wait in these areas simply to queue for school dismissal before approximately 2:45 p.m. Deputies will begin allowing vehicles into these areas as traffic conditions permit around that time and will be on scene to direct traffic.
We understand that changes to a routine that families have become accustomed to can be frustrating. During the first week, our deputies will focus heavily on education, communication, and helping everyone adjust to the new traffic pattern. However, situations that create an immediate safety hazard will still need to be addressed.
We know school dismissal is difficult for everyone involved, and we are not taking this step to make things more difficult for parents or guardians. We are doing it because the current traffic pattern is not safe or sustainable.
Our responsibility is to protect the safety of our students, school staff, motorists, pedestrians, emergency responders, and everyone else traveling through this area. We need traffic to continue moving safely and freely, and we believe these temporary traffic control measures are necessary to accomplish that.
We appreciate everyone’s patience, cooperation, and understanding as we work with our school families and the community to make afternoon dismissal safer for everyone.