City Phase 2 "Spider Web" construction will reroute bus service; district to issue new passes before spring break

Muscogee County School District officials told the school board March 17 that the City of Columbus’ Phase 2 Spider Web construction will disrupt bus parking and routes beginning April 7 and could affect dozens of nearby schools.

The district’s chief operations officer, Travis Anderson, said the construction footprint surrounds a major bus lot and includes streets immediately adjacent to several schools. "70% of our buses are parked right there," Anderson said, describing the detour loop and naming Brewer and Carver as adjacent to the work zone. He said other nearby schools include MLK, Rainey, Rigdon, Spencer, Marshall, Davis, Wheaton, Columbus, Hardaway, Richards, Clubview, Baker and Dorothy Height.

Why it matters: the construction sits at a major transit corridor for school transportation and, in the district’s account, will require re-routing buses, new stop assignments and additional coordination with city crews. Superintendent David F. Lewis introduced the item as district leadership sharing information from the city about anticipated short-term challenges and long-term benefits.

Anderson said the district and the city are working on temporary measures but do not yet have a final plan. "We are actively developing plans to work around that, but we know that it's going to impact transportation," he said. He told the board the district will issue new bus passes to families before spring break so students will have updated morning and afternoon stop information when they return. Anderson said the passes "will be available for the schools the week of spring before you go to spring break" and that they would be active when students return.

Board members asked whether and when the district would communicate directly with parents; Anderson said written communications to families would be sent the same week the passes are distributed and that staff were still finalizing details. No formal vote or policy action accompanied the briefing; the item was presented as an information item and staff committed to return with logistics and a plan.

District staff noted the project may last longer than two years and that the eventual roadway improvements are expected to benefit the broader community, but early work will tightly congest already busy corridors. The board did not adopt a resolution or impose conditions on the city project; instead the district said it will collaborate with city officials on temporary bus routing and parent communications.

Board members and staff said further updates and specific stop assignments will be provided to schools and families through school-based distribution of the new bus passes and district communications before spring break.