Work could soon begin on a project to solve traffic congestion at one of the county’s elementary schools.
In October, Director of Carter County Schools Dr. Kevin Ward spoke with members of the Carter County Board of Education regarding traffic issues at Happy Valley Elementary School, which sits on Milligan Highway. During arrival and dismissal times at the school, traffic is heavy and frequently backs up along the highway, Ward said.
During that October meeting, Happy Valley Elementary Principal Stephen Garland also expressed his concerns to the Board. He said cars are often lined up along Milligan Highway and while some cars can pull completely off the roadway others cannot and cars traveling on the road are forced to dodge them. Both Ward and Garland expressed their concern for safety, not only for the school and students but also for motorists who attempt to navigate around the cars waiting to get into the school parking lot.
Ward said he and other school system officials had formulated a plan to construct a road on the school’s property linking to on-site parking lots in order to allow more room for traffic to flow. Preliminary estimates for the project were around $20,000 to $25,000. Under state law, government projects or expenditures that exceed $25,000 must go through the bidding process with the school system seeking bids from qualified candidates. For projects costing less than $25,000 the school system can use estimate comparisons instead of having to seek bids for the project.
In October, the Board of Education directed Ward to proceed with the project by finalizing plans and getting firm estimates. If the estimates came in below the $25,000 threshold the Board granted Ward the authority to proceed with the project after obtaining approval by Board Chairman Rusty Barnett.
On Wednesday, Ward said the estimates did not come in as expected so the school system has had to shift plans and is now working with Carter County Road Superintendent Roger Colbaugh and the Carter County Highway Department to get the project completed.
“The estimate came in at $57,000, which is well above what we had estimated and planned for,” Ward said. “Roger has been our savior. We appreciate his help.”
Colbaugh said the currently plan is to grade out the road between the two parking lots and then gravel it for the time being. “The asphalt plants are shut down,” he said. Then in the Spring or Summer after the asphalt plants reopen, Colbaugh said the Highway Department crew will return and pave the newly created access road.
Now, the only hold up to the project is the weather.
“We’re waiting for the right weather for the top soil to be dry so we can excavate it,” Colbaugh said. “We don’t want to put it off. As soon as we get the right weather we’re going to get in there.”