Facilities committee reviews Marshburn Road Elementary schematic plans; site, traffic and capacity discussed

Wake County Schools facilities staff presented schematic designs for Marshburn Road Elementary to the Facilities Committee, describing an E‑shaped building planned to meet district program standards and accommodate near‑term growth.

The presenters said the school is being designed as a 7/16 traditional school that can be converted to a 9/24 multitrack year‑round model, with an 800‑student core and four additional flex classrooms built into the brick‑and‑mortar layout. Senior site planner Alice Reese said the E‑shape places public spaces along a spine and separates grade pods; she added, “You won't hear me talking about split level buildings or retaining walls,” when explaining the site’s relatively mild topography.

Why it matters: committee members pressed staff on circulation and future access because the site borders busy Highway 97 and new residential development. Staff said the plan includes a gated emergency access off Highway 97 (DOT requires limited direct highway access), a bus/service driveway, and a southern carpool loop sized for stacking. Designers said the parking lot and drives were laid out so a proposed future collector road shown in the town's comprehensive transportation plan can connect to the site when that public improvement is built.

Site constraints and program details: Reese described a drainage draw and pockets of wetlands and flood‑prone soils that shift the likely building footprint toward the southwest of the parcel to avoid sensitive areas. The plan keeps play areas to the rear and maintains a wooded buffer along Highway 97. Senior building planner Leah Petricione summarized the program: media center, art and music near the core, a central stage between two partitioned spaces, and two standard pre‑K classrooms. The presenters said flex classrooms are distributed across wings so the building can accommodate growth without immediate temporary classrooms on the site.

Timeline and phasing: staff said schematic design is underway, design development will follow, and the project schedule shows bidding in summer 2027, roughly two years of construction and an anticipated completion in spring 2029. Staff said the school will first serve as a swing space during nearby Wendell Elementary renovations and then open as Marshburn Road Elementary at the end of the construction sequence.

Questions and next steps: committee members asked about left‑turn access to the parent loop on Marshburn Road, the timing for the town’s planned road extension, and the ability to add capacity later. Staff said timing for the public connector road is controlled by the municipality and developers; they also noted the building was sited to permit future wing additions where feasible and that a district capacity audit is starting to assess space availability across older schools. Committee members requested continued coordination with town and DOT officials and further detail on carpool stacking assumptions.

Speakers quoted or named in the meeting: Alice Reese, senior site planner; Leah Petricione, senior building planner; a lead facilities presenter (name not specified); Chair (committee chair); Miss Caulfield (board member); Dr. Inge (board member); Miss Reisley (board member); Melissa (staff, coordination).