News
Some Lincoln County board of education members are calling it the local version of "a bridge to nowhere."
Others are wondering how Lincoln County schools became involved in a project to build a bridge to begin with.
And still others say the county has many needs greater than constructing a pedestrian walkway bridge near the entrance to the town of Hamlin.
"I'm not sure what they think this accomplishes," School Board President Carol Smith said last week when discussing the proposed bridge. "It doesn't get any students out of the road; it doesn't provide a better connection to anything; so what is it for?"
In an application submitted June 29, just days before the state board of education returned control of Lincoln County schools to the elected board members, Maintenance Director Dana Smith claimed that the bridge "connect(s) Lincoln County High School to the town of Hamlin."
When asked specifically, last week, how that connection is made, Smith admitted that it is "difficult to understand, but we think it is a big improvement."
Smith insisted that the bridge somehow takes "students out of the big curve in the road," although he offered no proof that it did.
Some residents have complained that students going and coming to Hamlin Lions Club Field, where the LCHS football team practices and plays, are in the roadway. However, a vehicular bridge across the river also has a sidewalk that brings students to the same highway. While it is possible that a student headed to the ballfield can avoid the "blind curve" by crossing the walking bridge, it is just as likely they will not, according to board members.
"There's nothing to make anybody go across the road at a specific location," said member Thomas Ramey, Jr. "I don't see that this bridge helps a thing."
Smith said there are "dozens of other worthwhile projects" that should have received priority over the bridge.
"I am shocked," she said.
Smith said she also thinks the bridge application was done "secretly at best." She pointed out that nobody from the state informed the local board that the request was being made.
"Nobody, including the superintendent, told us about it," said Smith. "And, when the governor decided to fund it, Mr. (David) Roach (the superintendent) sent a private citizen and Bill Linville from his staff to get it. Nobody on the school board was informed or invited to be there. That suggests it was done quietly and nobody intended for us to find out about it."
The project is apparently part of a roadside park construction that has been going on along the riverbank across from the school at the entrance to the town of Hamlin. "Whoever dreamed this up didn't give it much thought," Smith said. "It doesn't accomplish anything except build a bridge beside one that is already there."
A spokesperson in the governor's office, which approved the $80,000 grant from federal stimulus funds, said engineers with the Division of Transportation had worked with local authorities in developing plans for the bridge.
Asked how the bridge links the high school and town, the spokesperson said he did not know but "assumed" engineers in the Transportation Division did.
In the application, Smith also noted that the bridge would keep "students off a heavily travelled roadway with no sidewalks."
Asked how that claim can be substantiated, Smith said the bridge is part of a "bigger project" that would build sidewalks and perhaps even an overpass across the highway.
When asked if sidewalks are now in place along the highway on the bridge side, Smith responded, "No, they aren't."
Asked when plans call for such sidewalks to be built, Smith said there were no "concrete" plans for such construction.
The project is estimated to cost $100,000, with $20,000 coming from a local match, according to the application. School officials have indicated that they expect that $20,000 to come from the Lincoln County commission, but Commission President Charles McCann said last week that is not the case.
"We were willing to help with this project back in 2007," McCann said. "But other priorities have come up since then. I'm not willing to give a penny to it."
Roach defended the project, saying it is a "joint, cooperative effort by government and local businesses." When asked by Smith if the funding could be switched to some other project, Roach replied, "I don't think it can now. We have too many people involved in this project to change it now."
Others are wondering how Lincoln County schools became involved in a project to build a bridge to begin with.
And still others say the county has many needs greater than constructing a pedestrian walkway bridge near the entrance to the town of Hamlin.
"I'm not sure what they think this accomplishes," School Board President Carol Smith said last week when discussing the proposed bridge. "It doesn't get any students out of the road; it doesn't provide a better connection to anything; so what is it for?"
In an application submitted June 29, just days before the state board of education returned control of Lincoln County schools to the elected board members, Maintenance Director Dana Smith claimed that the bridge "connect(s) Lincoln County High School to the town of Hamlin."
When asked specifically, last week, how that connection is made, Smith admitted that it is "difficult to understand, but we think it is a big improvement."
Smith insisted that the bridge somehow takes "students out of the big curve in the road," although he offered no proof that it did.
Some residents have complained that students going and coming to Hamlin Lions Club Field, where the LCHS football team practices and plays, are in the roadway. However, a vehicular bridge across the river also has a sidewalk that brings students to the same highway. While it is possible that a student headed to the ballfield can avoid the "blind curve" by crossing the walking bridge, it is just as likely they will not, according to board members.
"There's nothing to make anybody go across the road at a specific location," said member Thomas Ramey, Jr. "I don't see that this bridge helps a thing."
Smith said there are "dozens of other worthwhile projects" that should have received priority over the bridge.
"I am shocked," she said.
Smith said she also thinks the bridge application was done "secretly at best." She pointed out that nobody from the state informed the local board that the request was being made.
"Nobody, including the superintendent, told us about it," said Smith. "And, when the governor decided to fund it, Mr. (David) Roach (the superintendent) sent a private citizen and Bill Linville from his staff to get it. Nobody on the school board was informed or invited to be there. That suggests it was done quietly and nobody intended for us to find out about it."
The project is apparently part of a roadside park construction that has been going on along the riverbank across from the school at the entrance to the town of Hamlin. "Whoever dreamed this up didn't give it much thought," Smith said. "It doesn't accomplish anything except build a bridge beside one that is already there."
A spokesperson in the governor's office, which approved the $80,000 grant from federal stimulus funds, said engineers with the Division of Transportation had worked with local authorities in developing plans for the bridge.
Asked how the bridge links the high school and town, the spokesperson said he did not know but "assumed" engineers in the Transportation Division did.
In the application, Smith also noted that the bridge would keep "students off a heavily travelled roadway with no sidewalks."
Asked how that claim can be substantiated, Smith said the bridge is part of a "bigger project" that would build sidewalks and perhaps even an overpass across the highway.
When asked if sidewalks are now in place along the highway on the bridge side, Smith responded, "No, they aren't."
Asked when plans call for such sidewalks to be built, Smith said there were no "concrete" plans for such construction.
The project is estimated to cost $100,000, with $20,000 coming from a local match, according to the application. School officials have indicated that they expect that $20,000 to come from the Lincoln County commission, but Commission President Charles McCann said last week that is not the case.
"We were willing to help with this project back in 2007," McCann said. "But other priorities have come up since then. I'm not willing to give a penny to it."
Roach defended the project, saying it is a "joint, cooperative effort by government and local businesses." When asked by Smith if the funding could be switched to some other project, Roach replied, "I don't think it can now. We have too many people involved in this project to change it now."
