How to Get a Road Paved That School Buses Travel On
If you feel a particular road that a school bus travels on needs paving, getting that road paved may involve working with several different government entities, depending on the state you live in. The answer can be as simple as putting a request before a particular board and getting it added to the budget, or as difficult as organizing a group of neighbors to petition with you and mount a public campaign. This is basic grassroots activism. Be prepared, though, as a majority of people may not share your concern that the road you want paved is actually a pressing need.
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Instructions
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Determine which government agency has responsibility for the road you want paved. It could be the local town or village, the township, the county or the state. If you have trouble finding the answer, contact your township or county road department. Even if it is outside of its jurisdiction, officials there will know which jurisdiction it falls under.
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Contact other parents who are concerned about the unpaved road on which the school bus has to travel. Ask for their signatures on a letter of petition that will be sent to the unit of government which is responsible for the road. Keep a list of the addresses and phone numbers of these parents handy, as it may be needed later.
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Contact the office of the unit of government responsible for the road. Find out when its public meetings are held and ask to be placed on the agenda for the next meeting. Bring your signed letter of petition and give a brief explanation as to why getting the road in question paved is an important project. Most likely, the board will not make a decision at that meeting, but it should commit to giving you an answer within 30 to 60 days.
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If your request is denied, organize the full group that signed the letter of petition to attend the next public meeting of the agency charged with maintaining the road. Contact all local media and inform them that a large group will be at the meeting seeking to resolve a potential safety hazard. Speak directly with the reporters that are assigned to cover the meeting.
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Continue to press the matter through campaigns such as letters to the editor or other group activities until the road is paved or until others in your group demonstrate that this matter is not as serious a concern to them as it is to you.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not threaten officials or board members, as many may be sympathetic to your request. A threat will only transform board members who are sympathetic to your cause into opponents. If the job is agreed to, publicly thank the board members. These are low-visibility officials who often hear complaints, but seldom get recognized for the necessary, but boring work they do. When you recognize them, it will make the next project you seek that much easier top accomplish.
References
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