Get ready for a longer commute

Back to school means the return of traffic.

This week alone, about 60,000 students will return to elementary, middle and high schools across Sonoma County, plus an additional nearly 30,000 at Santa Rosa Junior College.

The return to school typically means a daily traffic increase of 15 to 20 percent, said Santa Rosa traffic engineer Rob Sprinkle.

"In the morning you will see a higher spike because school starts at about the time most work starts. The morning is sometimes a little rougher," he said.

A handful of construction and road maintenance projects also could slow down motorists and bicyclists near a number of Santa Rosa campuses.

Be alert for installation of a turn lane on Calistoga Road at Badger Road and construction of a curb along Piner Road between Fulton and Waltzer roads.

Also, building of the SRJC culinary facility on Mendocino Avenue is causing some slowdowns on the east side of the road across from the main campus.

For parents and students looking to make the move from four wheels to two, Safe Kids Sonoma County has tips for teaching youngsters how to be safe on a bike:

Wear a properly fitted helmet. Any rider younger than 18 must wear a helmet when riding a bike.

Ride on the right hand side of the road, with traffic.

Learn and use hand signals.

Children younger than 10 should ride on sidewalks and bike paths until they are able to show good riding skills and can follow basic rules of the road.

Don't wear headphones. Do wear bright clothes.

Parents: Model safe riding practices for children.

Staff writer Kerry Benefield writes an education blog at extracredit.blogs.pressdemocrat.com. She can be reached at 526-8671 or kerry.benefield@ pressdemocrat.com