Board advances French Creek site improvements and authorizes bidding for secondary campus work; traffic study commissioned

The Owen J. Roberts School District’s finance, buildings and grounds committee advanced three facilities items at the Feb. 2 working session: an anticipated award for the French Creek site improvement project, authorization to solicit bids for initial secondary‑campus renovation work, and approval to commission a traffic study of the main campus.

Mr. Vella summarized the French Creek project: moving the playground away from the parking lot, reworking the parking/traffic pattern and resolving prior easement issues. The committee reported a general construction bid of approximately $3,000,000 plus $500,000 for electrical work, for a total near $3.5 million. The work is planned for summer construction when school is not in session.

The board authorized solicitation for bid packages for an initial phase of the high‑school and middle‑school renovation; administration stressed that the solicitation is to collect bids only and does not constitute approval of the overall secondary‑campus project. If the board later approves the project, the committee noted it will be phased.

The committee also authorized K&W engineering to perform a comprehensive traffic study of arrival and dismissal patterns, bus routing and parking flow. The study was estimated at $11,540; K&W included an additional contingency fee line ($24,960) for potential change‑order work if scope adjustments are required. Administration said the report is expected by early summer and that the study will feed permitting processes with South Coventry Township, Chester County and PennDOT.

Each item was moved by the committee to the full board for action at a future meeting. No final construction contracts were approved on Feb. 2; the committee’s approvals were to proceed to bidding and to document traffic impacts for permitting.