This browser does not support the Video element.
School district to vote on bus stop changes
A Minnesota school district wants to stop sending buses down dead-end streets, but at least one parent says that would raise other safety concerns. FOX 9's Mike Manzoni has the full story.
ROSEMOUNT, Minn. (FOX 9) - A proposal that would reroute school buses around dead-ends has ignited a debate over safety concerns.
District considers policy change to avoid dead-end roads
What we know:
The Rosemount-Eagan-Apple Valley school district is considering a policy change that would stop sending school buses down dead-end roads, arguing it is dangerous for buses to back up and difficult for them to turn around.
120th Street West in Rosemount – the only road that would be impacted – is a mile-and-a-half-long dead-end with gravel, no sidewalks and many hills. The district said buses have had trouble navigating such roads.
The other side:
The district wants to move the bus stop to the closest intersection, discontinuing house-by-house pickups. The district said, in part, that it "will continue to be the responsibility of the parents to ensure their children arrive safely at the bus stop, irrespective of the distance from their home...."
The backstory:
After an audit last year, the district moved all six cul-de-sac bus stops, but some parents pushed back when the change also affected a road that is not a cul-de-sac. The proposal would rework the policy language to include dead-ends.
Parent concerns about student safety
What they're saying:
"We are concerned that it’s creating an unsafe environment for our students to walk," said Matthew Bigelow, a concerned parent. "We’re talking up to a 5-year-old kid walking over a mile on an uncontrolled dirt road."
He said there are also concerns about where students would wait for the bus, which would now be at the intersection of 120th Street West and Dodd Boulevard.
"They’d be required to stand at an unmonitored intersection," he said. "Again, no stop lights, no streetlamps, no sidewalk."
Bigelow shared a recent video showing a school bus turning around at the end of the street in 15 seconds, with no apparent trouble. There is also a sign reserving the turnaround for school buses.
What's next:
The school board will vote on the proposed policy change on April 13. If it passes, it is unclear when the new bus stop location would take effect.