A joint project that has been talked about since shortly after the new Johnson Elementary School was opened has begun. And the result with be safety for students and members of the community.

 

According to Bridgeport City Engineer Beth Fox, work has started on a new sidewalk project near the front of Johnson Elementary. Work can be seen being done in the area to the right of the main entrance of the building and toward the road leading up to Woodside Heights.

 

For years, many students in the development would come head to school or home from school along the roadway. Once at the bottom, most would cross the roadway to get to the opposite sidewalk where most students and others would travel.

 

That was a concern brought up by city officials and former Superintendent of Harrison County Schools Dr. Mark Manchin. Both sides have worked to make it happen, and now it is going to happen.

 

“This is a joint venture between the school system and the city,” said Assistant Superintendent Jimmy Lopez. “We split the cost, providing $15,000 as did Bridgeport. (Johnson Principal) Vicki Huffman and Beth Fox were instrumental in the process to facilitate this with Vicki Huffman working excellent to pair information between the city and the county.”

 

Equipment recently moved into the area and earth was being moved. The goal is to have the sidewalk, which will run behind the existing guardrail along Johnson Avenue and in front of the elementary school, in place well before school is hoped to start this year on Sept. 8.

 

Fox said the BOE’s dollars will cover cost and material. The city’s cost will come in labor and equipment.

 

“This will serve two purposes. First and foremost, it addresses the safety needs of those students going to and from school at Woodside Heights by allow them to walk safely behind the guardrail,” said Fox. “It also allows community members to walk safely from the same area.”

 

Lopez agreed.

 

“It’s a safety issue and it’s one the city can address better because those are their students and that is an area they are familiar with, including the volume of traffic,” said Lopez. “When this is done, it should be much safer for everyone.”

 

Fox said the delay in recent months was standard when dealing with government agencies.

 

“Things generally take longer when you have two entities coming together to work on something, but the cooperation as smooth all the way through,” said Fox.

 

And there was one other factor.

 

“We may have had this done already, after we met in February. However, that was right before the pandemic, and that slowed everything down,” said Lopez. “Now, it’s a go.”

 

Editor's Note: Top photo shows the start of the project while the bottom photo shows how students either had to often walk through a muddy sloped area, in front of the guardrail, or cross Johnson Avenue to get to school if walking from the development.