Emmett board approves new transportation zones, routes and safety busing; staff to discuss private-property turnarounds with county

The Emmett Independent District Board approved a package of transportation items for the 2025–26 school year including updates to non-transportation areas, continued approval of two regular school-bus backup maneuvers, a district safety-busing map and the full set of bus routes for the year.

Transportation staff recommended removing two low-density pickup segments from regular service and instead designating nearby corner pick-up points for those students: a stretch of Morehouse Road and a mile-long dirt spur off Brownlee Liberty/Kirkpatrick where buses previously drove to a barn. Staff said both locations serve very few students and the state recommended not operating buses on the remote dirt spur because of winter-road liability.

The board reaffirmed two approved backing locations (used regularly as part of routes): a short intersection at Mustang Lane and Bowman Road (served with a smaller bus) and a turnout on a highway sweep where drivers perform a three-point maneuver into a property owner's driveway to turn the bus. Staff said the driver who performs the highway backing is experienced but noted visibility is constrained by overgrown trees; trustees directed staff to consult the property owner and County road officials about trimming or use agreements. Transportation staff also said that using private property for regular bus maneuvers should be memorialized in a legal agreement to clarify liability.

Trustees approved an updated district-wide safety-busing map. The plan designates areas where the district will provide busing even though the student residence falls within 1.5 miles of the school; staff said the decision is driven by lack of sidewalks, high-speed road segments (including a 17-mile stretch of Sweet Ola Highway) and other safety concerns. Shadow Butte, Butte View and stretches south of Highway 52 were highlighted as safety busing areas.

The board also approved the district's 2025–26 routes: staff described a consolidation of routes enabled by routing software that reduced overlapping bus travel and shortened afternoon ride times by grouping K–12 pickups on single runs. The district will operate 69 total routes this year with separate morning and afternoon patterns described in the presentation; staff said detailed stop times were available on request but were not disclosed in the public slideshow to avoid exposing student locations.

The board approved the transportation items by motion with no recorded negative votes on the motion to adopt the non-transport zones, the backing approvals, the safety-busing plan and the routing map. Trustees asked staff to pursue two follow-up actions: (1) contact the county road department and the private property owner at the highway three-point turn to negotiate trimming or a formal access agreement, and (2) review insurance and liability language for any regular backing maneuvers on private land.