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School board approves $433,000 budget to rework McFall Elementary bus loop to reduce Main Street congestion
Summary
The Thornapple Kellogg School Board approved up to $432,990.99 to fund McFall Elementary bus‑loop improvements after a multi‑month review; administration and engineers said the plan moves bus and parent traffic into an interior loop to reduce safety risks on Main Street and accommodate future growth.
The Thornapple Kellogg School District board voted to approve McFall Elementary bus‑loop improvements for a cost not to exceed $432,990.99, the board president announced after a roll‑call vote.
The project responds to recurring student‑safety and traffic concerns at dismissal, administrators said. Travis of GMB, the district's engineering consultant, told the board the design moves bus and parent traffic into an interior ‘‘snake’’ loop and adds capacity and stormwater detention. ‘‘This is a good way to do it,’’ Travis said, describing the plan as a durable solution that keeps vehicle congestion on the site rather than on Main Street.
Superintendent Rob Pouch said the concept was developed after months of staff and consultant review and meetings with the village and the transportation team. He framed the discussion around student safety and predictability of operations: ‘‘We have put time, efforts into this,’’ Pouch said, urging the board to weigh long‑term safety against short‑term inconvenience.
Several board members asked whether lower‑cost operational changes could be tried first, such as rerouting parent pick‑up or altering dismissal sequencing. One board member asked to ‘‘wait one more month’’ to explore alternatives and cost reductions; another said additional delay risks higher future construction bids and makes it harder to get contractors. The board discussed tradeoffs between immediate action and additional vetting of alternatives.
The board motion to proceed — moved by Flickama and supported by Price — approved the estimated budget cap but did not commit the district to accepting any contractor bid; administrators said engineering and bid documents would be refined in the coming months. Administration noted that if the district misses a fall bid window, bids could be higher because contractors’ schedules fill quickly. The district also clarified that state transportation 22l funds are restricted to transportation assets and were not available to pay for this site‑improvement work according to Michigan Department of Education guidance cited by staff.
The board also discussed stormwater mitigation included in the concept — a shallow dry detention basin — and vehicle turning radiuses that governed the design. Administration said the estimate includes contingencies for drainage, lighting and landscaping and that detailed engineering is still required before final bids.
Next steps: administration will refine bid documents and return with final contract documents for board review; if bids come in within the approved cap, the district would move forward with construction timed for summer to avoid disrupting the school year.
