MORGANTOWN – A group of parents from the Falling Water development at Cheat Lake brought a “dangerous” bus stop to the attention of the Monongalia County Board of Education Tuesday evening.
“We need help; I don’t know how else to put it,” said homeowner’s association President Matt DiAngelo, one of three parents who presented the issue to the board. “Safety is number one.”
Board President Ron Lytle explained that the presentations would be for information only. Any discussion or action would have to be slated for a future board meeting.
The bus stop is at the intersection of Morgan Hill Road and Falling Water Lane. The lane is the sole access point, often congested, into Falling Water and its sister development, The Bluffs at Falling Water.
The bus stop includes a parking area for 13 cars, but sees anywhere from 35 to 50 parked there during the morning and afternoon bus runs, he said. That worsens the congestion.
Three buses arrive each morning and afternoon to pick up and drop off around 70 students, he said. There are no sidewalks or places for the kids to stand. And the buses must execute three- to five-point turns – depending on the skill of the drive – to head back out Morgan Hill Road to the school.
He’s out there directing traffic for 30 minutes every morning, he said, and described one incident of a child nearly getting hit by a car, and this wasn’t unique. They’ve sought advice on a solution from various authorities and are now seeking the board’s help.
“We didn’t build Falling Water,” he said. “We’re lost for ideas.”
Parent Asheley Mousadis spoke next. High school students aren’t picked up by parents, she said, and face a walk of up to 2 miles into the developments, up to a 30-minute walk in all kinds of weather; and while the Bluffs have sidewalks, Falling Water doesn’t, and the students are walking on the road.
A recent change in the hours for Mountaineer Middle School means the stop will have more students – ages 11-13 – starting in August.
A Division of Highways representative visited the stop, she said, but showed up unannounced one day at noon and saw nothing because no one was there. So that was fruitless.
They have a proposed solution, she told the board. The development’s clubhouse sits 1.2 miles from the current stop, at the top of the Falling Water Lane loop, and could serve as a second stop. It has lighting and shelter. Buses could continue around the loop without a problematic turnaround.
It would also alleviate congestion at the current stop, the said. Falling Water has 25 children who can ride a bus. The Bluffs, based on a partial response to a survey, with more responses expected, has 127. The Bluffs has 262 homes now, with 16 more under construction and 17 lots still available.
Parent John Dubowski told the board that Policy 8600, drawn from state code, may pose a hindrance to the board taking action. It says in part, “Transportation services are not recommended on streets, roadways; private property developments which are not maintained by the West Virginia Department of Highways or a public municipality.”
But that policy isn’t a mandate, he said. It says, “are not recommended.” In this case, the board can consider safety issues and the easier bus access when deliberating an additional stop.
“The real decision lies with the board,” he said.
Tweet David Beard @dbeardtdp Email dbeard@dominionpost.com\
