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After months of construction delays that have frustrated hundreds of teachers, students and parents throughout Rowan County, Southeast Middle School will open for classes next Wednesday.
But state transportation officials are now concerned that the only road allowing access to the school has no turn lane, school-zone signs or stripings.
While that won’t keep the $7.3 million school from opening, it’s part of a contract that the road work is done, said Chris
Corriher, district engineer in the Salisbury office of the N.C. Department of Transportation.
“We’re not going to not let them have access,” he said, “but that still concerns me.”
“A condition of them having access to the road is that they widen the road. That’s in their permit.
“It really should be out there and functioning when it opens. They’re going to generate a lot more traffic. Normally, when you develop property and impact traffic, you widen the highway at your own expense.”
Herman Troutman, director of building and construction for Rowan-Salisbury Schools, said that the school will open without a turn lane. But the school system has hired a contractor and work should begin on the turn lane within 10 days.
“It’s not something we’ve forgot about,” he said. “It’s something we’ve run into a lot of difficulties with in dealing with the state.”
Peeler Road, a narrow, two-lane road, connects the parallel U.S. 29 and Old Concord Road. It runs two miles and crosses Interstate 85 but does not allow access to it.
The speed limit is 55 miles per hour, though no signs are posted.
On Tuesday afternoon, Principal Dr. Ron Turbyfill distributed fliers to parents announcing the opening, the same day many teachers saw the inside of the school for the first time.
Next Monday and Tuesday are teacher work days, and an open house is planned for next Tuesday night.
Parents have met and “the excitement is at a peak,” said Rick Parker, president of the school’s Parent-Teacher Association and vice president of support services for Rowan Regional Medical Center.
“It’s been really unique. We have met at fire houses, schools, you name it.
“None of us has even been through this before.”
“Everybody’s real excited and hopes it goes real well,” said parent Susan Bernhardt, whose eighth-grade child now attends Erwin.
“I really applaud the teachers. They’ve had a lot of extra work.”
Bernhardt said many parents are worried about the lack of a turn lane on Peeler Road. “Alot of parents are concerned about the traffic there ...” she said.
Corriher said no one notified transportation planners about the school opening next week.
School officials estimate the gym and cafeteria kitchen won’t be complete until Nov. 1.
Until then, the school system will deliver meals on trucks to a dock that connects to the back of the kitchen.
General contractor Lyon Construction of Winston-Salem may have to pay penalties for each day after Aug. 9 the school was not complete.
Called liquidated damages, that charge could amount to $500 per day for each of the five contractors delayed past that date.
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