Walk a mile to school?
CHENEY – Under a proposal discussed by the School Board during a Sept. 28 meeting, students would have to walk to campus if they reside within a 1 mile radius of the campus.
The move comes as fuel prices continue to increase and bus drivers continue to be in short supply.
The School Board discussed seeking legislative support for walk zone improvements, enforcement of “1-mile walk zones,” and HopSkipDrive.
HopSkipDrive is a private transportation company that partners with school districts to provide transportation to students who may not have a safe alternative to school buses.
With 45 bus routes and only 40 drivers, the high school is almost continuously sending out office staff to drive buses, Finance Director Jaime Reed said.
“This an ongoing problem for us,” Reed said. “Everyone who should be in our transportation office is out driving to help compensate for shortages.”
Before the 1-mile walk zone could be enforced, the district would need to be assured that walking routes are maintained, cleared of snow and generally safe for student pedestrians.
Pursuing legislative support may be an effective strategy, Reed said.
The finance director detailed several options, such as petitioning city officials to allocate more resources toward clearing “walk-zones” in the winter so students could reliably walk to and from stops.
Lucas is a former Cheney Free Press managing editor. He is a nationally published author who contributes regularly to several publications across the country.
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