This should be good news and a major step forward for public safety commissioners and residents who have been working together for over a year to solve the issue of vehicles crowding streets and hindering traffic on DeSanka and Goleta avenues.

For years, residents who live in front of and behind Blue Hills Elementary School have been frustrated with drivers using the residential side of the street to pick up and drop off students at the school. This, along with the number of cars lined up along the sidewalk directly adjacent to the school, is making it difficult for residents like Travis Alexander, who lives on the corner of DeSanka Avenue and Seagull Way, to get in and out of their driveways.

"It's almost impossible to leave the driveway," he said. "Traffic comes to a dead stop. It's the same traffic every day."

It's a battle neighbor William Estes and his wife have to fight every time they step outside to run an errand or drive to the doctor's office in the afternoon.

"It's chaos and confusion," he said. "A lot of neighbors are held captive inside their own homes."

In addition, Estes said he's seen cars pull up into his driveway to make a U-turn. According to him, that's why his neighbors put up chains across their driveways.

While Alexander and Estes said they've been seeing a lot of action in the front of the school, residents who live behind on Goleta Avenue said it's also been a challenge to get from one end of the street to the other.

Saratogan Joan Greene said the situation has gotten so frustrating that she now takes a longer alternate route to get out of the neighborhood. Instead of going down DeSanka Avenue, she takes Seagull Way or Cox Avenue.

Greene said that the narrow lane caused by cars parked on both sides of the street makes it especially difficult for her to maneuver her pickup truck out of her driveway. In addition, she said she's heard of many pedestrians, like her neighbor Katie Alexander, having close calls with reckless and speedy drivers.

"The situation is pretty bad," she Alexander. "There seems to be a major gridlock problem. It's worse when parents are trying to get to work in the morning."

Alexander said she and her 8-year-old daughter had a close call about a year ago when a driver quickly pulled out from behind an SUV and stopped four feet from them.

"It was a scary experience for me and my daughter," she said. "I'm afraid others will actually get hurt."

Alexander said she attributes that experience to not only careless drivers but also to poor visibility caused by cars parked on both sides of the road and to drivers double-parking.

She said she hasn't seen anybody get hurt but has witnessed a couple minor fender benders.

Mitch Kane, chairman of the public safety commission, said he's seen both good and bad traffic days around the school. He said he recalls witnessing situations such as doors of rolling vehicles flying open while unloading children and students stopping in the middle of the busy street, dodging careless and inconsiderate drivers.

Kane, who has done several site visits during different times of the day, said that traffic in the morning is denser than what he's observed in the afternoons. He attributes this to parents trying to get in and out of the area as quickly as possible in the morning, whereas cars arrive early and wait for their children to get out in the afternoon. Some may park and wait longer than others, depending on how long it takes for the children to walk to the car. In addition, a number of parents wait even longer because many have children in different grade levels with different bell schedules, causing cars to trickle out.

In the meantime, the school has taken steps to address the issue.

Kane and Blue Hills Principal Randy Karel, as well as some neighbors, said that traffic flow has improved slightly over the last year since a sign prohibiting drivers from making a left turn was installed at the exit end of the parking lot. In addition, parent volunteers have been facilitating traffic and supervising pedestrians before and after school while law enforcement officers have been citing drivers for illegal maneuvers.

"Traffic has been running relatively smooth because of this," said Kane. "But we need to create more organization and efficiency."

According to city staff member Lori Tinfow, the final design proposal will include posting signs restricting cars from parking from 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. and from 1:15 to 3 p.m. along the residential side of DeSanka and Goleta avenues.

The school currently has "no parking" signs along the loading and unloading zone inside the parking lot, which can hold just enough spaces for staff members, and curbs painted red along the sidewalk. However, many neighbors say that this is not enough to remedy the problem.

"People will park at these areas anyway and will probably continue to do so as long as there isn't a cop around," said Stephanie Chen, who came 10 minutes early to pick up her daughter. "Parents usually look for the quickest and easiest way to get out."

Kane and neighbors said they're hopeful that this plan will help redirect traffic flow and increase pedestrian safety, but some residents, like Estes, said they are concerned that it will only encourage cars to crowd areas that are not designated as off-limits.

Goleta resident Alexander said she appreciates the commission's perseverance and hard work in dealing with the issue. Though she said she's satisfied with the new plan, she would also like to see more parking spaces added to the 40 existing ones in the school's lot.