The Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure (MoTI) is constructing six new school bus pullouts in various South Cariboo locations.
Working in consultation with the School District 27 (SD27) bus garage in 100 Mile House, the MoTI project is providing enhancements at some of the busier bus stops in the community.
Cariboo-Chilcotin MLA Donna Barnett was on site on Aug. 31 to observe the construction of a new pullout on Horse Lake North Road at Valley View Road near the Ranchettes subdivision entrance.
"It is being done for safety's sake, through the ministry looking at bus stops for children because a lot of places are not that safe," she said.
The previous bus stop across from the hill on Valley View Road was unsafe after a big snowfall or when icy, she added, as the cars could slide across Horse Lake Road to where the children were.
"It's all day labour, so local people who are on the day labour list have an opportunity to obtain some extra work, which is also great."
Terry Murphy, area transportation manager in 100 Mile House, explained why some long culverts were being installed at the roadside.
"It used to be an open ditch. We'll fill it in, and it'll be a 30-metre long bus stop suitable for the big school bus."
He noted another problem is the buses running along Horse Lake Road from Highway 97 must stop on the road in numerous places with their lights flashing, letting the students out onto the shoulder, as well as backing the traffic up.
Two other pullouts along Horse Lake Road are being constructed at Wolfe and Sunset roads, Murphy said, as well as one on Highway 24, two kilometres east of Lone Butte, and another in Lac la Hache.
Under another new project, MoTI is also widening the shoulder at the Forest Grove Elementary School bus stop to improve safety with a walkway for students, he added, as well as smoothing out the school entrance where the buses have been bottoming out.