Bus driver resists request to avoid Welch Street; residents cite safety and traffic backups

At a prolonged public-comment exchange about school-bus routing, a bus driver, identified in the meeting as Val Cologne, told the board she would continue to use Welch Street when traffic conditions at the main intersection prevent buses from making a left turn.

"I will not comply. I will show that I've already told you that I will not comply," Val Cologne said, explaining that afternoon runs can encounter two or three red lights and trailer trucks that block a right turn, forcing drivers to take a left to avoid long backups that extend into residential streets.

Residents had asked the board to discourage contractors from using Welch Street because of speed and safety concerns, and the manager said the town had asked bus contractors to tell drivers not to use Welch Street. Board members characterized the town's communication to contractors as a request rather than a legally enforceable restriction.

Why it matters: Residents said Welch Street is narrow and that heavy vehicles, rough pavement and speeding drivers create risks for children who are expected to walk within the downtown triangle. Drivers and some residents countered that many students living within the triangle are required by district policy to walk and that buses do not routinely stop on those side streets except for kindergarten and pre-kindergarten door-to-door service.

Board response and next steps: The board left the town's request to contractors in place as a non-binding ask and said it would revisit the issue if residents report repeat violations. Officials encouraged residents to document incidents (date/time/license plate) so contractors can be informed and disciplined if necessary. The board also discussed traffic-signal timing and intersection reconfiguration as longer-term solutions.