With traffic congestion in the Hobbton district, school officials are coming up with a few solutions or just more of the same.

Phil Matthews, executive director of plant operations, presented an update to the Sampson County Schools (SCS) Board of Education’s work session on Tuesday about the matter on Highway 701. A meeting was held in early October about traffic at Hobbton’s elementary, middle and high schools, which are next to each other. Some of the people present represented Hobbton students, school board members, administration and law enforcement. Afterward, everyone came to a consensus to keep everything the same, with options for improvements in the future.

“With the existing situation, while it is not idea it seems to be the lesser of the evils that we to pick from,” Matthews said. “We need to continue that operation.”

It was previously reported that more than 1,500 people arrive in the area during a 40 minute time span. To improve in the future, group members came up with an idea to get the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) involved with improving traffic conditions at Hobbton Middle School (HMS).According to reports, HMS only has one way drive for traffic entering and exiting the school. Some of the suggestions included separating bus and car traffic, widening the existing drive or adding two exit lanes.

According to the report, the suggestion were noted as good.

“However, there wasn’t a high degree of confidence that implementing these suggestions would be possible,” Matthews stated in his report.

Matthews reported a possibility of NCDOT looking into the matter at the middle school and traffic in the area.

The second major idea presented was to change start and end times for the schools. The changes would have to be significant to make a positive impact on the traffic. According to the report, the group of community representatives were divided on staggering the times. Law enforcement officials believed it would extend periods of high traffic. The work schedule of parents with children more than one school, were also taken into consideration.

Another suggestion was to improve school zone signs, by adding flashing lights to a sign before the school. NCDOT officials reported that they’ll install the lights,but the school district would be in charge of maintaining it. Group members believe speed was not an issue. But the number of people present were.

A few board members were concerned about HMS being accessed though a private road, technically not owned by the school district. Board Chair Telfair Simpson school officials will look into the matter, but believes it belongs to the district, since it’ been used for many years.

Shortly after, there was a consensus to not make any changed regarding traffic at the Hobbton schools.

Sampson County Schools Board members Tim Register and Dewain Sinclair participate in a Tuesday work session.
https://www.clintonnc.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/10/web1_BOE.jpgSampson County Schools Board members Tim Register and Dewain Sinclair participate in a Tuesday work session.

By Chase Jordan

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