Parent raises preschool bus-stop safety concerns at Route 515 stop; board acknowledges review process

A Vernon parent described multiple safety hazards at a preschool bus stop on Route 515 in the Lake Conway area and asked the board and district staff to revisit the decision not to change the stop.

At the public-comment portion of the board meeting, Lauren Cooper of Lake Conway said she began a request to change her child’s bus stop in September but had been told changes would not be considered until the third week of school. She said the stop is on a 45-mph zone at the bottom of a hill and that county guidelines require a 450-foot visibility; she said the county’s site visit report did not explain what was measured or when, and that commuter traffic, fog and speeding cars make the location risky for young riders.

"We have our young ones standing on the side of the road there," Cooper said, describing an incident in which a school bus had nearly been rear-ended while stopped; she said the bus has been nearly T-boned twice. Cooper said she raised the matter through multiple offices — the mayor’s office, the county and the district — and sought better communication about what the site assessment measured.

Board staff responded by reminding the public that the board’s public-comment period is not a forum for back-and-forth discussion and that the district will take comments under advisement. The transcript records the comment and the district’s safety and routing procedures, and board members asked staff to follow up offline.

Clarifying details provided in the comment: the stop location is on Route 515 in Lake Conway, the speed limit cited was 45 mph, and Cooper said county practice requires 450 feet of visibility for stops on that roadway. Cooper requested either a one-minute detour or other routing adjustments to reduce roadside waiting time for preschool children.

Outcome: No vote or immediate action was taken during the meeting. The comment was recorded on the public record for the board and administration to investigate and respond to through the district’s transportation and safety processes.

Ending: The district’s transportation procedures, county site-assessment standards and contract routing will determine whether a stop can be relocated or adjusted; the board asked staff to follow up with the commenter and to share findings outside the public-comment time.