Sidewalk, Road Projects Improving Area Around VCMS

VERNON, CT — Sidewalk and road reconstruction projects designed to improve the area around Vernon Center Middle School are nearly complete.

Vernon Public Works Director Dwight Ryniewicz said Thursday he's just waiting for the weather to cooperate before getting the projects off the books.

The sidewalk is located along the West Road side around what is known as the "Turkey Field" at the rear of the middle school building. The narrow walking path that connects the north VCMS sidewalk and lower parking area to the West Road crosswalk needed to be replaced.

"It had deteriorated," Ryniewicz said. "A middle school staffer asked us about it and we just needed to find the best course of action.

Alas, the DPW had materials leftover from a walking path project at Skinner Road School and other projects, Ryniewicz said.

The DPW brought over its mini-excavator about a month ago, graded out a new walkway and ...

The rains came.

"We were ready to pave it and the weather man decided to not cooperate ... you know, that guy Murphy, who made that law.

The plan is to pave it before winter sets in, he said.

"The Vernon Public Schools is striving to provide equitable access to its school for all students. We encourage walking to school as a source of physical activity and a healthy life style," Vernon Superintendent of Schools Joseph Macary said.

Dart Road sits at the south side of the Turney Field and also abuts several historic houses. The poor conditions of the road, coupled with underground springs, caused runoff to flood the field at worse and at best keep it in a constant state of damp.

Ryniewicz said the road was completely rebuilt and widened to improve the left-turn sightlines at the intersection with Route 30.

Utilities also cooperated with relocating lines, he said. Most of the work was done in-house as as part of the town's $27 million bond project, which Ryniewicz requested Dart Road be added to.