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McFarland officials present updated unusually hazardous transportation study; board to file plan with DPI next month
Summary
District staff summarized a Tady (TADDY) study of hazardous walk zones used to determine school transportation, highlighting two village areas designated as unusually hazardous, an estimated study cost near $20,000, and ongoing coordination with the village and state DOT.
District administrators presented the findings of a contracted study of unusually hazardous transportation zones that determine which students are eligible for bus service.
The district contracted a transportation consultant (TADDY) to update the district’s unusual hazardous transportation plan — a state‑required document the district must file with the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI). Administration said the last formal study dated to 2001, with an administrative review in 2007; the recent professional study cost the district just under $20,000.
The consultant’s maps and scoring indicated two areas inside the village that remain or are newly designated as unusually hazardous for walking to school: areas north of Sigelcove and west of Highway 51 (the report used local place names and map shading shown in the meeting exhibit). The district said those areas will continue to be served by buses regardless of ordinary walk‑zone distances because of traffic, crossings and jurisdictional complications where the roadway and crossings cross municipal boundaries.
District business director Jeff Mahoney (presenting) told the board the district currently transports nearly 1,200 students daily and continues to coordinate crossing improvements, new flashing lights and crossing‑guard placements with the village and Dane County. Administration noted several recent safety upgrades at crossings near Valley Drive and Marsh and described proposed signage and intersection improvements the district will pass on to state DOT as Highway 51 reconstruction advances through future phases.
Board members asked for clarifications about how walk distances are measured; administration said eligibility mapping is based on shortest‑route distance from a student’s residence to the school’s designated drop‑off point, not a straight‑line (“as the crow flies”) radius. The presentation explained previous program changes in 2017, including expanded transportation for 4K and K–2 and a reduced walk threshold for grades 3–5 (one mile).
Administration also discussed fees for optional paid transportation when space is available: families currently pay about $200 per student; district staff said the full per‑student cost of transportation is nearer $700, meaning the district subsidizes routes where families pay. Officials said paid stops are increasingly difficult to accommodate because more families live farther from school and routing capacity is limited.
TADDY’s study was forwarded to the county, which reviewed it with local law enforcement; the county approved the recommendations and plan. The board took the item as informational Monday. Administration told the board the district must have an approved plan on file at the next regular meeting to meet DPI filing requirements.
No formal policy change was adopted Monday; the board asked staff to correct minor mapping typos flagged in the report (place name misspellings) and to provide any follow‑up materials before the next meeting.
