WELLSBURG — A number of Brooke County students will have to go farther to catch their school buses because their roads have been found unsafe for the buses.

Ron Staffileno, Brooke County Schools transportation director, confirmed that after consulting with state highway officials, a decision was made not to have buses travel certain roadways to ensure the safety of all children.

Staffileno said there are slips along the edges of some roadways. But he said the most common concerns have been the absence of guardrails on roads with a dropoff of as much as 100 feet and inadequate space on narrow roadways for buses to turn around.

Parents have complained of the many changes, noting they often move their children’s bus stops farther from their homes.

Staffileno asked for their patience and understanding, adding as repairs and other remedies are made by the state Division of Highways, the bus routes may be revisited.

He noted crews are slated to repair a slip along Big Rock, a section of Rockdale Road known for a large rock that juts from the hillside.

The road has been used by many in the Hooverson Heights area as a shortcut to Brooke High School but not in recent years by school buses carrying students, Staffileno said.

He said prior to the slip, it was used by drivers of empty buses and could be used in that way again when the slip is repaired.

David Brabham, district manager of engineering for the state Division of Highways, said limited funding and manpower hinder his crews’ ability to address the many slips and other damages caused by flash flooding and heavy rainfall earlier this year.

But he said, “There are several hundred we’re working on.”

Brabham said each day four to seven crews are working on slip repairs throughout the district’s six counties.

He said an effort has been made to prioritize the projects, with most heavily traveled roads normally receiving attention first.

Brabham said much of the slip repair work will be funded by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

He said the Roads to Prosperity bond issue approved by voters last year won’t go to such projects, but he’s hopeful it will help to free funding for them.

Staffileno has posted the following changes to bus routes on the school district’s website:

• Buses won’t travel Windy Hill Road beyond the Windsor Heights Senior Center, stopping there or near its crossroads with 49 Hill Road.

• Buses on Girtys Point will stop east of the Huff’s Run intersection.

• Buses won’t travel Greens Run, stopping at its intersections with state Route 67 and McCords Hill Road instead.

• Buses won’t travel Casteleman’s Run or Peace Point roads beyond their intersections with state Route 67.

• Buses won’t travel the west, or Wellsburg, side of Rabbit Hill Road. Children living between Miller Avenue and Pleasant Avenue will catch the bus at either of those two roads, whichever is more convenient.

• Buses won’t travel up Tent Church Road from Cross Creek Road, stopping at their intersection instead. Buses traveling to Tent Church Road from Eldersville Road will stop at Abbey Lane.

• Buses traveling Halls Road will go no further than the Dillon turnaround at Gala Lane. Children who live between the turnaround and the bottom of the road will catch the bus at the turnaround or at the road’s intersection with Harmon Creek Road, whichever is more convenient.

• Buses won’t travel Boyd’s Road beyond Cherry Lane.

(Scott can be contacted at wscott@heraldsaronline.com.)