Superintendent Makes Determination on Lakeview Ave Bus Stop in Sandown

As members of the Timberlane community may know, concerns were raised regarding the designated bus stop at Lakeview Avenue and Route 121A in the town of Sandown. The Superintendent took immediate action and called for a meeting of his Transportation Advisory Committee along with the district’s Safety Committee Chairman, the Sandown Police Chief, and the Sandown Selectmen Chair to investigate these concerns and to make recommendation to him for solution. The committee met on September 24, 2016. Based on their recommendations, and with student safety being paramount, Dr. Metzler makes the following determinations regarding the Lakeview Avenue/ Route 121A bus stop.

• The Lakeview Avenue bus stop will remain in its present location for students who walk to and from the bus stop. Sandown Police Chief Joe Gordon has ascertained permission for students to wait at a designated location on Lakeview Avenue.
• Parents/guardians who wish to wait with students in their vehicles or pick them up in their vehicles should use the bus stop located at Higgins Avenue (and 121A). Sandown Police Chief Joe Gordon will allow vehicles to park along this roadway during pick up and drop off times. Lakeview stop parents/guardians wishing to utilize the Higgins Avenue bus stop should contact Transportation Coordinator Sandy Hodgkins at 382-6119 ext 2229.

It is important to note that the narrow road design to access the numerous homes throughout the vicinity of Angle Pond (Duston’s Grove) is the main factor in this decades-long school transportation issue. It is recommended the Town of Sandown design and create a community bus stop that would allow both students and parents to wait for the school bus without concern for the traffic on Route 121A or the limited space on the many side roads. In the meantime, the determinations as cited above shall remain in effect.

The Superintendent extends his thanks and appreciation to the members of the advisory committee and the Sandown community who contributed to this resolution.