Expect Slower Commutes This Week In Western New York

Going to work this week, you may want to leave a little earlier than usual, because you are likely to experience serious delays in Western New York. 

You will also want to drive with caution, and definitely avoid speeding between the hours of 7:30 AM - 3:30 PM, because that’s when the kids will be walking to and from school. 

That’s right – school is back in session this week for a lot of Western New York schools! And I know it can be frustrating to get stuck behind a school bus, but whatever you do – do not pass a stopped school bus under any circumstance. It’s against the law. 

According to Erie County Clerk Mickey Kearns, there are a few rules about a divided highway and what to do when a school bus comes to a stop in New York. 

“When a school bus stops and flashes its red lights, traffic approaching from either direction must stop before reaching the bus: on a two-lane road, on multi-lane highways, or on divided highways.”

You can read more about the specific laws here, but make sure you’re paying close attention to the roads this week as everyone gears up to go back to school. 

Here are the back to school dates for Western New York:

Erie County

Akron — Wednesday, September 6

Alden — Tuesday, September 5

Amherst — Tuesday, September 5

Buffalo — Friday, September 8

Cheektowaga-Sloan — Thursday, September 7

Clarence — Tuesday, September 5

Cleveland Hill — Tuesday, September 5

Depew — Wednesday, September 6

East Aurora — Wednesday, September 6

Eden — Thursday, September 7

Frontier — Tuesday, September 5

Gowanda — Tuesday, September 5

Grand Island — Wednesday, September 6

Hamburg — Wednesday, September 6

Holland — Wednesday, September 6

Iroquois — Wednesday, September 6

Kenmore-Town of Tonawanda — Tuesday, September 5

Lackawanna — Friday, September 1

Lake Shore — Tuesday, September 5

Lancaster — Tuesday, September 5

Maryvale — Tuesday, September 5

North Collins — Wednesday, September 6

Orchard Park — Tuesday, September 5

Springville-Griffith — Tuesday, September 5

Sweet Home — Wednesday, September 6

Tonawanda (city) — Wednesday, September 6

West Seneca — Thursday, September 7

Williamsville — Tuesday, September 5

Niagara County

Barker — Wednesday, September 6

Lewiston-Porter — Tuesday, September 5

Lockport — Tuesday, September 5

Newfane — Tuesday, September 5

Niagara Falls — Thursday, September 7

Niagara Wheatfield — Tuesday, September 5

North Tonawanda — Tuesday, September 5

Royalton-Hartland — Tuesday, September 5

Starpoint — Tuesday, September 5

Wilson — Wednesday, September 6

Cattaraugus County

Allegany-Limestone — Tuesday, September 5

Cattaraugus-Little Valley — Tuesday, September 5

Ellicottville — Wednesday, September 6

Franklinville — Wednesday, September 6

Hinsdale — Tuesday, September 5

Olean — Wednesday, September 6

Portville — Wednesday, September 6

Randolph — Tuesday, September 5

Salamanca — Tuesday, September 5

West Valley — Wednesday, September 6

Yorkshire-Pioneer — Wednesday, September 6

Chautauqua County

Bemus Point — Wednesday, September 6

Brocton — Wednesday, September 6

Cassadaga Valley — Tuesday, September 5

Chautauqua Lake — Thursday, September 7

Clymer — Wednesday, September 6

Dunkirk — Tuesday, September 5

Falconer — Tuesday, September 5

Forestville — Tuesday, September 5

Fredonia — Tuesday, September 5

Frewsburg — Tuesday, September 5

Jamestown — Tuesday, September 5

Panama — Wednesday, September 6

Pine Valley — Wednesday, September 6

Ripley — Wednesday, September 6

Sherman — Thursday, September 7

Silver Creek — Wednesday, September 6

Southwestern — Wednesday, September 6

Westfield — Wednesday, September 6

Allegany County

Alfred-Almond — Thursday, September 7

Andover — Tuesday, September 5

Belfast — Tuesday, September 5

Bolivar-Richburg — Tuesday, September 5

Canaseraga — Wednesday, September 6

Cuba-Rushford — Wednesday, September 6

Fillmore — Tuesday, September 5

Friendship — Thursday, September 7

Genesee Valley — Tuesday, September 5

Scio — Tuesday, September 5

Wellsville — Tuesday, September 5

Whitesville — Tuesday, September 5

Be safe on the roads, and hope everyone has a great school year!