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Oconto Falls board adopts updated hazardous transportation plan to expand bus eligibility in select two‑mile areas
Summary
The school board approved an updated hazardous transportation plan that targets highlighted two‑mile zones judged unsafe for student walking; staff estimate roughly 50 additional students could become eligible for bus service. The plan will be submitted to the Wisconsin DPI for review.
The Oconto Falls Public School District board on June 8 approved an updated hazardous transportation plan that identifies targeted areas inside the district’s two‑mile radius where walking to school is not considered safe and therefore eligible for bus pickup.
District administrators said the change follows earlier expansion of the district’s city option (from a one‑mile to a two‑mile transportation radius) made because of limited bus drivers. Randy, who drafted the map overlays, told the board the updated plan flags “areas within our two‑mile radius that are not passable for specific reasons” and that approval would send the plan to the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction for a formal 30–60 day review.
Board members asked how many additional students might be affected. Staff estimated about 60 students fall within the highlighted band, with roughly 11 already transported, leaving “around 50” potentially eligible under the revised plan; staff emphasized eligibility does not guarantee door‑to‑door service and that routing may group pickups.
Local law‑enforcement reviewed the overlays during plan development, staff said, and the board sought assurances that routing changes could be accommodated in existing staffing models. Transportation staff said routes could be adjusted and that hiring remains a factor but that the district believes it can provide the service if the plan is approved by DPI.
The board’s approval sends the plan to DPI and instructs staff to implement routing changes after state sign‑off. The vote was recorded as a voice/roll call motion and carried.
What happens next: DPI has the statutory review period to accept or request changes. Staff said they will monitor ridership shifts and return to the board with any operational impacts or needed adjustments.
(Reporting note: quotes and figures above are drawn from the board presentation and staff Q&A at the June 8 meeting.)
