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Where the Sidewalk Ends - Sidewalk Statements

Writer's picture: Stacey BrownStacey Brown

Folks on the East Side are making it clear where they stand on the middle school location debate. Eight months ago, School Board members claimed the East Side wanted the development and it was Ward 5 residents arguing against it. I biked and jogged a half-mile radius from the proposed middle school site to see how the neighbors felt about the School Board decision.




School Board members have continued to defend their decision, citing lower costs to build at Broken Ground, future development, and less disruption to students.

But during a May 2022 Zoom community presentation, Jack Dunn, the SAU 8 Business Administrator, ruled in favor of South Street over Broken Ground because of traffic issues, high concentration of students at one location and the significant infrastructure needs - roads, sewer/septic, water, gas.

Deputy City Manager Matt Walsh provided a list of city developments in the pipeline as of October 2023. To date, 192 units of workforce housing at the South End Railyard Apartments, less than one mile from Rundlett, are opening soon. Meanwhile, developers cancelled plans for 98 units of workforce housing on the East Side due to rising construction costs.



Disruption to students wasn't mentioned as a concern when Mill Brook School was attached to Broken Ground School in 2012.

The biggest disruption has been the resulting increase in traffic that backs up to the roundabout off Exit 16 more than a mile away.


School Board members voted to move the middle school without weighing a traffic study, accurate infrastructure costs, or residents' concerns. Who is telling them it was the right decision?

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