JOINT BASE ELMENDORF-RICHARDSON, Alaska -- As the weather cools off and summer begins to wind down, back to school season enters full swing on Joint Base Elmendorf-Richardson, bringing with it a host of important safety updates across the installation.
School started Aug. 17 for grades 1-12, with kindergarten following on Aug. 24.
While driving around the installation, be aware of now-active school zones and keep an eye out for students walking to schools and bus stops.
These areas are closely monitored to ensure the safety of our students returning to school, and anyone violating the regulations surrounding these areas will face citations.
Active-duty members cited for a violation will be charged to report to their commander for administrative processing.
Civilians will be cited with a traditional traffic ticket and may be faced with fines and points on their license, which can ultimately result in a suspension of driving privileges.
Speeding in a school zone can charge much higher fines than normal tickets, with the severity of the fine scaling with the driver’s speed, up to $16 per mph over the limit.
School zones on the JBER-E side have a posted speed limit of 20 mph during normal operating hours and the JBER-R side’s speed limit is 15 mph. The speed limits in school parking lots on both sides of base are 5 mph.
Look out for stopped buses and do not drive past a bus while it has its stop arm extended, as this is a Class B misdemeanor and will result in a mandatory court appearance along with six points on your license.
Be extra vigilant of pedestrian and cyclist traffic, since both will be significantly increased as students travel to and from school.
All schools on base will be following Anchorage School District policy for COVID-19 prevention, with after-school and youth program facilities on JBER following installation guidelines.
As our students return to school, make sure to keep them safe by following policies and being vigilant in your commute around the installation.
Be aware that regulations may vary between JBER and the surrounding communities. Please see the following sources for more information.
Anchorage PD Notice: https://local.nixle.com/alert/8894632/
Alaska School District: https://www.asdk12.org/
Safety Office: 552-6850