By Greg Grisolano
ggrisolano@joplinglobe.com
DUQUESNE, Mo. — Jessica Allender says she was just trying to get her daughter to cheer practice. The 31-year-old Joplin mother got a traffic ticket from Duquesne police instead.
“My child had cheerleading practice, and every way to the new middle school (East Middle School) was barricaded,” she said. “I’m furious because when I called the court, they told me it was going to be a $350 fine. And I don’t feel like I should have to pay a fine for taking my child to cheer practice.”
Allender said she was one of several parents ticketed early last week on the way to the practice at the new East Middle School at 4594 E. 20th Street. Parents have complained that road construction around the school and a newly installed roundabout at 20th Street and Duquesne Road made it impossible to get the kids to their practice.
Parent Ruby Carroll said she too was frustrated by the construction, and tried to explain it to the officer who stopped her.
“He said did you not see the barricade?” she said. “I said yes I did but I’m trying to get directions. I don’t know any other route to get to East. He gave me the directions but he still gave me a ticket.”
Duquesne Police Chief Tommy Kitch said the road construction has “been a nightmare” for the community’s small police force.
“There are road-closed signs and barriers, and patrol cars in the roadway and they were still going around them,” he said. “It’s taken resources we normally do for traffic enforcement in other parts of the city.”
The roundabout construction was mostly completed by late last week, although crews spent parts of Friday and Saturday applying the finishing touches.
As for the tickets, Kitch said parents needed to be aware of alternative routes and be mindful of the safety of road crews completing their work.
“It’s not an issue where she (Allender) was going because there were alternate routes,” he said. “Once they enter the construction area, we are obligated to take enforcement action. That’s a total 100 percent safety concern for the workers and drivers.”
Traffic count
Duquesne Police Chief Tommy Kitch previously said about 12,000 vehicles pass through the intersection of 20th Street and Duquesne Road a day.
