By David Kilby, Staff Writer
CRANBURY — The Board of Education once again denied a request to re-locate two bus stops that require students to cross Old Trenton Road.
Jim Whaley, of Old Trenton Road, addressed the board at its meeting Jan. 18, sharing the dangers of the bus stops where students are dropped off by the late bus at around 5:30 p.m.
The bus stops, which were moved to Old Trenton Road before the beginning of school, originally were on Parkview Road and Hardley Drive, but they later were changed to avoid two left-hand turns and cul-de-sacs.
School officials said the former route used in the summer was a trial run.
”With the exception of Route 130, Old Cranbury Road is the busiest road in our area,” Mr. Whaley said to the board Tuesday.
He added cars often drive down the road at 50 mph when the speed limit is 35.
According to statistics gathered by the New Jersey Department of Transportation, Old Trenton Road has average daily traffic of 9,156 cars.
Other main roads in town have less traffic. Ancil Davidson Road has 2,407 cars per day, Cranbury Neck Road has 3,065, Dey Road has 7,414, and Main Street has 1,783, said resident Karen Callahan, another parent who shared her concern about the bus stops in September.
This is at least the third time parents have come before the board to express their concerns about the bus stops. In September, the board unanimously voted to keep the bus stops on Old Trenton Road since it deemed the stops to be safe.
Mr. Whaley said that every year in the United States, there are 35,000 to 50,000 incidents of cars passing school buses when their signs are out.
He cited various studies pertaining to the safety and dangers of bus stops, including “School Bus Stops: A Safety Guide for Transporters” (2005) by the Pupil Transportation Safety Institute.
”Concerns over increased traffic congestion and speed and the apparently increasingly aggressive driving habits of the motoring public … lead many parents to question the placement of bus stops on busy roads,” reads the guide.
The guide says many school districts, when designing bus routes, rely on what courts have called a “blind fiction” that other vehicles heed to school bus stop signs. “You’d like to say that students know better,” Ms. Whaley said. “They’ve had a busy day. They caught the bus at seven in the morning. They’re student athletes. They’re tired. They’re not thinking of looking both ways when they cross the road.”
He added, “With a left-hand turn into Shadow Oaks, this issue is solved.”
But school officials said the bus would have to make two left turns, one into Shadow Oaks and one back onto Old Trenton Road if it followed Mr. Whaley’s suggestion.
”The police have assured me that the bus stop is safe,” said Carol Malouf, interim chief school administrator, in response to Mr. Whaley. “I’d like to see that in writing,” Ms. Whaley said.
”It’s a flat road. There is a street light. The people driving the late bus have been there 10 to 15 years,” Ms. Malouf said.
”I don’t contest the professionalism of the drivers,” Mr. Whaley said. “I’m concerned about the traffic.”
Mr. Whaley also claimed the area of the bus stop is poorly lighted.
The school district has ordered signs cautioning drivers of a nearby bus stop, and the signs will be placed as soon as the ground thaws.
Mr. Whaley said he has been asking the board to resolve the issue since 2009 and doesn’t understand why it’s taking so long.
”The county controls the road,” said Austin Schraudenbach, vice president of the board. “We couldn’t put out signs without permission from the county.”
”Now the county is broke so they will allow us to put up signs,” he added, meaning the district will pay for the signs.
Joyce Picariello, school business administrator, added that Old Cranbury Road also has been under construction, thereby, slowing down the process of getting signs for the bus stop.
”Now that we can do something about it, we’re doing something,” Mr. Schraudenbach said.
”My concern is only for the safety of the kids,” Mr. Whaley said, “I think to drop the kids off there is not the safest option. The point is you have an option.”
Lynne Schwarz, president of the board, said the late bus does give parents other options.
”The child can get off at another stop the parents deem safe,” she said.
”We can refund your money,” Ms. Malouf said. “Your child doesn’t have to take that bus.”
Parents of students who take the late bus pay $200 per year for the late bus.
”There’s always a chain of events that lead to an accident,” Mr. Whaley said.
”We have no intention of changing it at this point,” Ms. Schwarz said. “As of now, the bus will continue on the same route.”
