Following discussion at a February 6 session, Police Commission members agreed to allow some school bus drivers to use an alternate accessway to Reed Intermediate School in the mornings during a two-week trial period.The Newtown Bee.Also, Police Chief James Viadero said February 14 he is exploring "one other [school bus] alternative," which he plans to discuss with school officials on February 15, after the deadline for the February 16 print edition of 

The two-week safety test is intended to determine whether such a plan alleviates morning traffic congestion at the signalized four-way intersection of Wasserman Way and Trades Lane, while not creating any traffic safety hazards. The Police Commission is the local traffic authority.

Under the plan, some school buses approaching Reed School from the west would travel eastward on Mile Hill Road and then briefly on Wasserman Way before turning left to enter the school grounds at the turnaround circle at the end of Old Farm Road. The buses would take that abbreviated route instead of proceeding eastward to the intersection of Wasserman Way and Trades Lane, where traffic congestion has been occurring in the mornings before the start of school.

Since Reed School opened in January 2003, access to Old Farm Road's turnaround circle has been prevented by a chain barrier. That location has been considered an emergency access point to the school grounds for emergency vehicles. Reed School, which houses Grade 5 and 6 students, is on an eight-acre lot with the street address of 3 Trades Lane.

The Old Farm Road turnaround circle lies across Wasserman Way from its intersection with Mile Road South. Mile Hill Road South there is controlled by a stop sign, with motorists on Wasserman Way having the right of way.

The intersection of Mile Hill Road South and Wasserman Way has limited sight lines to the west for motorists exiting Mile Hill Road South to go right onto Wasserman Way or to go left onto Mile Hill Road. Motorists traveling uphill and eastward on the steeply sloped, curving Mile Hill Road have limited sight lines to the east as they approach the intersection of Wasserman Way and Mile Hill Road South.

Alan Colangelo, the manager of All-Star Transportation's Newtown school bus terminal, presented plans for the alternate school bus accessway to Police Commission members at the February 6 session, according to commission records.

Under the plan, the Old Farm Road access point would be allowed for some of the buses that go to Reed School, arriving there between 8:50 and 9 am. Other vehicles, including those which have parents driving their Reed School students to school, would not be allowed to use that alternate entry point.

At the February 6 session, Police Commission members agreed to allow a test period for the alternate bus accessway to run from February 21 through March 6.

However, police this week determined that the bus test period cannot happen until the "spring thaw" occurs. Spring conditions will be required for the sitework that is needed to link the Old Farm Road turnaround circle to Wasserman Way.

Police Commission Chairman Joel Faxon said February 13, "We will do whatever we can to alleviate excessive traffic congestion, but won't in any way consider changes that jeopardize student or public safety.

"The [commission] voted to permit a trial usage of [Old Farm Road] for bus access, subject to a determination by Chief Viadero that the access is consistent with our student and public safety mandate," he continued. "The [police] department is completing its 'due diligence' on the student and public safety implications of the Old Farm [Road] access point for buses, which should be completed shortly. That due diligence safety review will determine whether any utilization of Old Farm [Road] will be permitted."