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Show Some Davis Students May Not Get Busing FARMINGTON - About 500 school children recommended recom-mended to be bused in a preliminary pre-liminary busing report are currently cur-rently in a state of limbo. THAT IS, unless some additional addi-tional monies come from the tooth fairy or a similar source because it's anticipated onlv about $125,000 will be available avail-able for busing - just $5,000 above last year when 2,000 students stu-dents were bused. School Transportation Supervisor Su-pervisor Richard Butler noted nearly 40 different groups, attending several dozen schools, that the transportation transporta-tion committee has earmarked " as "areas of concern where we are likely to need buses for students stu-dents who are not eligible for state-supported transportation." transporta-tion." THIRTY-NINE students living liv-ing west of 1000 E. on Antelope Ante-lope Drive attending Layton's Lincoln Elementary lead the list followed closely by 140 attending Bountiful's Washington who live west of Interstate 15 and must cross under several on and off-ramps and travel along major thoroughfares. thor-oughfares. If 2,750 students were transported, trans-ported, that would put district cost at $165,000, for instance, and means revenues must be cut from the general fund that could go for anything from books to audio-visual aids. The state provides funding for those elementary students who live more than l1; miles while secondary is two miles. COMMITTEE members have formulated grading sheets after visiting sites several sev-eral times each, including a walk of the route and determination determi-nation of average traffic flow during the half hour before and after school. Several parts are included in the rating sheet presented to the board last week although it will probably be revised. It includes in-cludes vehicle factors of traffic density and speed limit, student stu-dent factors listing the number of pedestrians and the lowest age level. IT WAS decided that age limit factor should be changed so it wouldn't weigh so heavily to kindergarten or primary grades, automatically pushing an area with many younger students near the top in "areas of concern" even if it isn't fil-led fil-led with serious traffic-walking traffic-walking problems. The tentative rating also asked for rating of the area as a walkway or a crossing, but not both with additional space for other hazard points. PARENTS OF students due to be transferred from E.G. King Elementary to East Layton Elementary in the fall expressed concern their students stu-dents should either be bused who must travel Oakridge Drive, be kept at E.G. King, which is closer, or allow residents resi-dents to pay for a bus. They contend that while the street isn't heavily traveled compared to many others, it is only 19 feet wide in places, without sidewalks, and has seen three accidents plus many other near accidents in the last year. DR. BUTLER reiterated a lot of funding hopes hinges on whether the state will allow , transport of "ineligible stu- ; dents" if buses carrying "eligi- 1 bles" are partially empty and it i doesn't mean detouring. The i district was penalized to the tune of more than $100,000 last ; year. A decision is anticipated in the May 17 meeting as to some sort of busing policy where transporting students would follow a pointage rather than emotional level. That led to formation of a committee last year. |