County OKs land deal for Wake high school

Last month, the Wake school board voted to pursue a 143.26-acre contract on Rolesville Road at the intersection of Quarry Road, northeast of Raleigh.

The school system had already spent $8 million on a site on Forestville Road but abandoned it in January because of concerns about traffic congestion, accessibility to roads and cost overruns.

School system staff have estimated that the new site, known as H-6, would cost an additional $15.4 million.

County commissioners voted 4-3 in favor of the land deal.

School staff said that appraisal estimates of about $30,000 per acre put the cost at about $4 million less than other locations.

Plans have the school, which could be named Rolesville High School, could open as early as 2013 and hold 2,200 students.