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Whitehall Copley superintendent describes Water Street closure, outlines bus-stop options for affected students
Summary
At the Sept. 22 Whitehall Copley School District board meeting, Superintendent Shiffert said Water Street will be closed and described transportation options for students who use the Eberhardt/Water Street stop, noting the district lacks a van and driver and that buses are restricted by weight limits in that area.
Superintendent Shiffert told the Whitehall Copley School District Board on Sept. 22 that Water Street would be closed as of the following day and described how the district will handle student transportation for families who use the Eberhardt and Water Street stop.
Shiffert said township crews had installed a barrier and gate at the end of Water Street and that “there is lighting that is to be installed,” and that the township “will maintain passage to that bus stop at Eberhardt And Water Street.” He said the district’s transportation department notified families of the change and offered alternatives.
Shiffert explained the district’s limitations and the options it offered: parents may pick up students at Eberhardt and Water; when weather permits the district can continue to pick up at the site; or students may be picked up at a second location in Lehigh. He said, “For the record, the school district never said to anyone that we would not provide a van to that area. What was accurately stated was we don't have a van or a driver.”
Shiffert also described a physical restriction on using regular buses in the affected area, saying buses “due to weight restrictions, are not permitted in that area.” He said the district previously offered an alternate bus stop and had explained the transportation constraints to township officials while working “together collaboratively to try and come up with safe solutions for those students affected by that area.”
The superintendent emphasized the district’s limited authority over public roadways, stating, “We don't control the roadways. We don't control where, where, families wish to live… and we'll do our very best to transport them safely.”
The board did not take a separate formal vote on the Water Street matter during the meeting; the remarks appeared in the superintendent’s regular report. The transcript records that Mayor Marks was consulted by Shiffert regarding the closure but did not speak at the board meeting.
