Nearly 40,000 Union County Public Schools students returned to classrooms Monday, Aug. 24, and drivers across the Waxhaw area are already feeling the squeeze.
At New Town Elementary School, parents lined up by 7 a.m. for drop-off on the first day. WSOC TV reporter Gina Esposito observed some parents struggling to turn left out of the school, one of 11 campuses that lost its traffic director position this summer after UCPS cut the roles at 13 schools to close a $10 million state funding gap.
"It's unfortunate, I think they had to do that … I feel like the position is worthwhile, and traffic is backed up at all the schools," Janell Davis, a New Town Elementary parent, told WSOC TV on Monday, Aug. 24.
The district announced Friday, Aug. 21, that it would reinstate morning traffic directors at Waxhaw Elementary and Antioch Elementary starting Monday, Aug. 24, after safety concerns from town leaders and parents. As we reported on the traffic director cuts, the other 11 schools that lost the position have not had it restored.
Waxhaw town engineer James Kelly told commissioners on Aug. 10 that the town disagreed with the district's safety assurances. "UCPS has stated the reasoning (for changes) is budgetary and UCPS is confident that these changes will not compromise student safety … We disagree. We have several safety concerns," Kelly said, according to the Charlotte Weekly.
Waxhaw Police Chief Dexter Wilson has cited the intersection of N.C. 75 and Old Providence Road near Waxhaw Elementary as particularly dangerous, noting high rates of left-turn and right-angle crashes. A roundabout is planned for that intersection in 2028.
Bell times that shape your commute
Staggered start times mean school traffic hits Waxhaw-area roads in waves. According to the UCPS bell schedule:
- Elementary schools (Waxhaw, Weddington, Marvin, Wesley Chapel): 7:30 a.m. start, 2 p.m. dismissal
- High schools (Marvin Ridge, Weddington, Cuthbertson): 8:10 a.m. start, 3:05 p.m. dismissal
- Middle schools (Marvin Ridge, Weddington): 9:05 a.m. start, 4:05 p.m. dismissal
UCPS operates more than 200 buses covering 29,000 miles a day. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools students also return Tuesday, Aug. 25, adding regional commuter traffic on roads shared between Union and Mecklenburg counties, WFAE reported.
Early release Wednesday
Drivers should note that Wednesday, Aug. 26, is an Early Release Day on the UCPS calendar, meaning afternoon dismissal traffic will hit earlier than the standard end-bell times listed above.
Superintendent Dr. Andrew Houlihan acknowledged the adjustment period. "This is the week where we're learning routines," he told the Enquirer Journal on Monday, Aug. 24.
The next UCPS Board of Education meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, Sept. 2, 2026.
