Roadblock at bus stop at Nov. 16 meeting

NORTH CANAAN — A school bus stop that is presenting numerous safety issues is getting a close look by school and bus company officials.

Reports from All-Star Transportation and Region One School District Business Manager Sam Herrick are expected to be addressed at the Nov. 16 school board meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. at North Canaan Elementary School.

About 10 children currently use the bus stop at the intersection of Route 44 and New High Street. That stop serves all of the Green Acres section of town. Parent David Soper, who approached the town and school on behalf of a group of concerned parents, said the trend is toward young families moving into the neighborhood, which could make the problem even worse.

The problem is that parents drive their children to the corner. They park on both sides of the street, effectively blocking it. Soper said there is considerable traffic on New High Street at morning and afternoon bus times, much it for a private day care facility there. If it’s raining, children will wait in the cars until the bus comes, then dash out to get on board. If it’s nice out, parents and kids are often in the street, socializing.

But these are only symptoms of a larger concern. The underlying issues include the steep hill that is New High Street, which is the only reasonable route to the bus stop. It has no sidewalks, it can be slippery, its rolling slope offers little line-of-sight and at mid-afternoon the sun shines directly into drivers’ eyes. A year ago, a young boy was hit by a neighbor’s car as he walked home from the bus stop. Fortunately, he was not seriously injured.

“Most of the kids using the bus stop now are pretty young,� Soper said. “The parents don’t want them walking on the road. And a lot of them have pre-schoolers who they have to bring along, so they drive.

“We know we are causing a problem by blocking the road, but what else are we supposed to do? The safety of our kids comes first.�

Soper originally approached the selectmen, but was told his suggestions, such as limiting through traffic on that block at bus times, would not be allowed.

The school board referred him to the bus company, which has full responsibility for devising routes.

Soper said he and other parents would be willing to drive their children to another stop, but Route 44 becomes a winding road just east of New High Street, making any stops there dangerous.

North Canaan Principal Rosemary Keilty described it as “a very big stop,� referring to the number of students.

A suggestion by Soper for a small bus to come up the hill is an option. However, the school is in the second year of a five-year contract. An additional bus is an additional expense, and All-Star charges just as much for a small bus as a large one, according to Keilty.

“I’m not saying it may not be the solution, but we’re in the early stages of looking at this. I’ve gone out and looked at the bus stop and talked to some of the parents,� Keilty said. “There are people as passionate about it staying the same and there are people passionate about something different. I expect the reports will be available soon and the board will be able to take a good look at this on Nov. 16.�