District flags Dempsey site bus drive and parking for 10-year facilities plan; rough cost estimate $650,000

District staff told the Dixon Unit School District 170 board Sept. 24 that the Dempsey facility’s bus drive and parking are inadequate for current operations and anticipated growth. Administrators said the site now has two bus routes (up from one last year) and that future growth — additional classrooms and staff — will increase demand for safer drop-off and parking. Staff presented conceptual drawings and a preliminary order-of-magnitude estimate of about $650,000 for a new bus drive, noting that the figure is loose because no core sampling or subsurface work had been done. A staff presenter said the district has engaged GRP Mechanical to provide analysis and drawings and that the work will need more detailed surveying and soil testing before a firm cost estimate can be produced. The consultant provided multiple options for consideration; district staff said the project will be prioritized within the district’s 10-year plan and is not necessarily scheduled for the next fiscal year. Officials discussed safety features including dedicated lanes for student drop-off, staff parking that avoids crossing traffic, and safer routes from buses to the building. The board was told the work is not typically eligible for Health Life Safety funding and that any construction should be timed to avoid disrupting school operations, likely to occur over a summer. “We now have two bus routes going to Dempsey as compared to one last year,” a district staff member said. Another staff member said, “It’s not the kind of project that you just do in a month. It will take a long time for the project to be completed, start to finish.” Staff said short-term winter maintenance (plowing and clearing paths) will continue and that building staff and administrators will supervise student arrival and bus unloading to maintain safe operations until a long-term solution is implemented.