News File Photo Students board buses at Thunder Bay Junior High School in this 2020 News archive photo.

ALPENA — Alpena Public Schools has come out against a proposed project that could extend 3rd Avenue to Tamarack Road.

The school district says it believes the project, as it stands, raises serious concerns for the safety of its students, staff, and community members.

In a letter to Alpena Township Supervisor Nathan Skibbe, APS Superintendent Dave Rabideau also requested the township and Alpena County Road Commission cease citing the district and Thunder Bay Junior High School student safety as key justifications for the project.

The township and Road Commission have each said they would put about $1 million up for the extension project, which has been considered for years.

Township and Road Commission officials say that, because there is only one way in and one way out to the junior high school and nearby neighborhoods, that creates a public safety concern, should there be an emergency in that area.

The extension could also reduce traffic on the M-32 corridor, but would likely increase it on 3rd Avenue.

The school district is also upset that it wasn’t involved in the planning process.

“It’s clear that the safety of Thunder Bay Junior High students was highlighted as a core rationale for seeking financial support,” Rabbideau said in the letter. “This was done without any engagement with Alpena Public Schools. It is disingenuous to claim this project is about student safety when neither you nor any representative from the Road Commission or township has made any effort to consult with us on the matter.”

The letter outlines why the school district believes an extension of 3rd Avenue would make students and the community less safe.

TRAFFIC FLOW

Rabbideau said the limited number of vehicles that currently travel east on 3rd often cannot turn left intoThunder Bay’s driveway because of oncoming traffic. With an expected increase in eastbound traffic and no plans for a traffic signal, congestion in front of the school seems inevitable, the superintendent said.

“That potential gridlock poses a risk to our students,” Rabbideau wrote.

SCHOOL BUSES

Increased traffic would disrupt bus routes, Rabbideau said, potentially delaying buses’ departure and increasing fuel costs from prolonged idling.

“For example, 18 buses idling for five extra minutes per day across 185 school days equates to an additional 15.4 hours of idling per bus per year,” he said in his letter. ” This strain on our resources and the potential for gridlock during dismissal could double this idle time.”

TRAFFIC SPEEDS

Rabideau said the current 55 mph speed limit on 3rd concerns him and he believes it’s likely that drivers would use 3rd as a throughway to M-32, increasing their speed despite a planned roundabout.

That poses a significant safety hazard for both students and staff, the superintendent said.

The Road Commission and township discussed building a roundabout near Berrington Circle to slow speeds down.

STAFF SAFETY

Traffic during school drop-off and dismissal times has always been challenging, and APS staff often bear the brunt of frustrated drivers, Rabbideau said.

There have been instances of verbal harassment and threats directed at APS staff, he said, and he fears the proposed project would only intensify those tensions.

“The impact will fall on my team,” Rabbideau said. “Not yours.”

Rabbideau said concern and controversy follow any project of the magnitude of the proposed 3rd extension, but he believes the school district was dragged into it without even having a place at the table during planning.

“I understand that public infrastructure projects face scrutiny and sometimes resistance,” he said in the letter. “However, it’s unacceptable to invoke the name of Alpena Public Schools without involving us in discussions. We should have been consulted and given the opportunity to raise these concerns, share ideas, and seek common ground. I hope we can collaborate moving forward and find a solution that truly prioritizes the safety and well-being of our students and community. I ask that you, the Road Commission, and the township allow us a seat at the table for any future discussions on this project.”

The Alpena Township Board of Trustees has yet to vote to officially allocate any money for the proposed project, which the Road Commission said could begin in the fall.

Last week, local officials, residents, and motorists saw firsthand how 3rd Avenue near the junior high could be impacted.

On Oct. 21, a mishap by a contractor working on the intersection of 3rd Avenue and Hobbs Drive resulted in the intersection being closed for several hours and nearly impacted how students at Thunder Bay Junior High would catch their buses.

Rabbideau said at the time that, if the school buses were unable to clear the intersection to gain access to the school, a plan was in place to have the students walk on a private access road to the Meijer parking lot to catch their bus.

That never developed, however, as a temporary solution was found and Alpena officials made the intersection a four-way stop until the damaged street light could be replaced later that night.

During the closure of the intersection, traffic lined up far down Hobbs Drive, Bagley Street, and 3rd Avenue.

Rabbideau submitted his letter to the township before that incident.

Steve Schulwitz can be reached at 989-358-5689 or sschulwitz@thealpenanews.com. Follow him on X @ss_alpenanews.com.

Read the full letter from Alpena Public Schools Superintendent Dave Rabbideau to Alpena Township Supervisor Nathan Skibbe below.

Alpena Public Schools Letter to Alpena Township by JustinHinkley on Scribd