Panel: Find new site for Rolesville high school

Raleigh, N.C. — A Wake County Board of Education committee on Tuesday recommended abandoning the proposed site for a new high school northeast of Raleigh and look at two alternative sites in Rolesville.

The full school board is expected to make a decision on the matter next Tuesday.

As one of their first actions on Dec. 1, new school board members voted to halt work on the planned Forest Ridge High School, at 2628 Forestville Road. They said they wanted to take a second look at other potential sites for the school before proceeding further at the site near the intersection of Forestville Road and U.S. Highway 401.

The site has caused a stir among nearby residents, who have expressed concern about traffic and the impact on their community. County commissioners also have complained about cost overruns in planning the school for that location.

District officials looked at nearly 40 sites for the high school, which is projected to cost $74 million. The school was to open and hold more than 2,200 students, making it the largest school in Wake County.

Officials said Tuesday that starting over at a new site could add $15.5 million to construction costs and would push back the opening date by two years. The delayed opening would aggravate overcrowding at Knightdale High School and elementary schools in northeast Wake County, they said.

The school board committee wants to look at two sites recommended by Rolesville Mayor Frank Eagles for the high school. One is at U.S. 401 and Louisbury Road and the other is near Rolesville and Quarry roads.

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Latest Comments

Well, if they are going to re-think the school, they should go ahead and consider making it bigger than for 2200 students. Even at the largest school in the county, it will still be filled to capacity when it opens. Why not add another floor and build up instead adding modulars or having to find another sight and build another high school a few years down the road.

NCMom1
February 10, 2010 12:34 p.m.

just1comment- that clears it up. The N&O article made alot more sense

NCTeacher
February 9, 2010 7:42 p.m.

We are spending over 15 million more dollars for another site, using up nearly all of the cap ex reserve fund? that sounds like a waste of taxpayer money.

Maybe the media will investigate who owns the other sites, directly or indirectly? This sounds like teh same ole back room meetings that the tea party crowed is criticizing the Federal government for....

rand321
February 9, 2010 6:15 p.m.

From The News & Observer article -

"Don Haydon, chief facilities and operations officer, said delaying the school would mean having to deal with overcrowding at Knightdale High School.

Haydon said not going with Forest Ridge would also lead to crowding delays for elementary school in northern Wake.

Administrators had planned that once Forest Ridge opened in 2012 to stop using one or more of the off-campus ninth-grade centers used by Wakefield and Wake Forest-Rolesville high schools. The ninth-grade centers would have been used to temporarily house elementary students."

just1comment
February 9, 2010 6:12 p.m.

If the people out there don't want a new high school, then don't build them one. Its that simple. let them crowd into WFR. I am tired of their whining.

Mr. Middle of the Road
February 9, 2010 5:16 p.m.