Parents push for school bus solution along dangerous stretch of East Austin Road

The section of roadway in question includes a narrow dip along East Austin Road where pedestrians and vehicles often share limited space. Residents say the area becomes even more hazardous during winter months when snow accumulation reduces visibility and roadway width.

Hudyma said she has spent months attempting to find a solution through various channels.

“It started out with a conversation with the school district, seeing if they could help support getting an extension in the bus stop,” she explained. “Because this is a city matter, not a school district matter. There wasn’t much they can do.”

She said her efforts then shifted toward the City of Prince George and BC Transit.

“I’ve been in talks with the city since January. It started out with a BC Transit stop request that was denied,” Hudyma said. “And then since then I’ve been in talks trying to get something here. Finally, I was told no, there was no budget for it. So I went to city council to try and get a budget enhancement so that we could get another bus stop in here.”

While some residents have long advocated for the construction of a dedicated pedestrian pathway, Hudyma acknowledges that project would come with a significant price tag.

“The first thing would be some kind of dedicated walkway. But that’s extremely expensive,” she said. “We’ve been trying for over a decade to get it. And we know it’s not going to happen.”

Instead, residents are proposing what they believe is a more practical and affordable alternative: extending an existing school-special transit route into Valleyview.

“We’re hoping to get a small extension on the existing 97 school special,” Hudyma said. “It’s about an extra five minutes where the bus would come into Valleyview and pick up the Valleyview kids.”

Under the proposal, the Route 97 school-special bus would continue along East Austin Road to Mesa Street, travel west along Valleyview Drive, and then reconnect with East Austin Road before continuing on its regular route.

According to Hudyma, the route is not without precedent.

“That was the existing bus loop that the number 88 used to take before the city cut all the services to the Hart,” she said.

The school-special service currently operates once in the morning and follows the reverse route in the afternoon on school days only.

“We have two of them, the 97 and the 96, each one servicing kind of each side of the Hart,” Hudyma added.

To demonstrate community support, Hudyma has been gathering signatures from Valleyview residents. She says the feedback she received revealed a consistent theme.

“Everyone who walks to the bus had a close-call story,” she said. “Either they were almost hit, somebody swerved to miss them. When two vehicles meet up at the bottom of the dip where it’s really tight. Everyone had something to say about how dangerous it was.”

Residents say the concerns extend beyond students, affecting anyone who walks along the roadway. However, parents remain particularly worried about children navigating the area during dark winter mornings.

The issue recently gained attention at city council, where Coun. Tim Bennett voiced support for a proactive approach to safety improvements.

“Unfortunately at times we’re very reactive and will respond to something if and when a tragedy happens,” Bennett said. “I think we need to be able to take more of a proactive approach, especially in this situation, and find a solution to ensure that kids and residents can get to and from work and school safely every day.”

Bennett’s comments accompanied a motion directing city administration to examine potential options and costs as part of discussions for the 2027 municipal budget.

The review is expected to consider possible safety improvements, including transit-related solutions and other measures aimed at reducing risks for pedestrians.

For residents like Hudyma, the request is about preventing an accident before it occurs.

Rather than waiting years for a costly infrastructure project, parents are hoping a relatively simple adjustment to an existing school-special bus route can provide immediate relief and improve safety for Valleyview students.

As budget deliberations approach, neighbourhood families say they will continue advocating for a solution, arguing that ensuring children can get to school safely should remain a priority.

by Cheryl Jahn

Parents push for school bus solution along dangerous stretch of East Austin Road

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