As the middle/high school nears completion for its fall 2007 opening, town and school officials are looking for the best way to solve traffic issues at the site.

Options range from a connector road between Wallace and Nashua roads, an emergency driveway from Chestnut Drive to the north side of the school site, and an access road.

But which is is the best solution and how much, if any, of the cost would be reimbursed by the state?

Bedford would be guaranteed a 30-percent reimbursement for any road built on school property, said Ed Murdough, administrator of the Bureau of School Approval and Facility Management with the state Department of Education.

If a road was partially on school property, the DOE would prorate that portion, said Superintendent Tim Mayes.

A school board subcommittee has come up with three options for access – a full road from Chestnut Drive, maybe with a traffic signal on Route 101; a “half-connector” road from Wallace Road to the west side of the school campus; and a traffic signal at the intersection of Route 101 and Nashua Road, along with an emergency access road from Chestnut Drive, which does not include a connector road between Wallace and Nashua roads. For these three options, a driveway road from Chestnut Drive or from Wallace Road would be partially located on school property.

“We would reimburse the school department for any roads built on school property. We would not reimburse the town, however,” said Murdough of the DOE.

One solution would be for the school department to buy property to build the access road on, Mayes said.

Murdough said New Hampshire schools are eligible for 30 to 60 percent reimbursement.

How much reimbursement is based on three factors: the number of towns that will use the school, the median family income and an equalized valuation per pupil.

Town Councilor Michael Scanlon said this 30 percent isn’t guaranteed if the state does not have the money when it comes time to reimburse the school department.

“If the money is not there, there is no 30 percent,” he said.

He said state legislators have shown they are usually reliable for reimbursement, however, and have come up with money in the past to help towns. Scanlon also said the state agrees with Bedford’s Route 101 Corridor Study and the town should not detour from the plan.

“Anything that deviates from the corridor study will not be looked on favorably by the state,” Scanlon said.

He also said the state may not approve another light along a small stretch of Route 101.

“They’re adament that they do not want to stop traffic between Meetinghouse (Road) and Wallace,” he said.

A driveway on town property, the state Department of Transportation’s Bill Boynton said, would almost definitely not fall under a category that would be reimbursed by the DOT. He said there are standards in the DOT’s 10-year plan that must be met when considering a road valid for funding.

These standards would apply to a connector road from Wallace to Nashua Road, Scanlon said.

But the town would have to pay for the road before finding out if the state would allot federal money of up to 80 percent reimbursement.

“The connector road solves a lot of problems and does it very well,” said Scanlon. “And, it costs the town only $1.3 million. We have to wait for our money, but in 10 years, we can take that money and roll it into something else.”

Nancy Mayville, an engineer with the DOT, said in the future, a connector road might be considered if it meets the conditions.

She agreed a driveway -- like the ones proposed by the school board -- would probably not be eligible for DOT reimbursement.

“One that they would build for local access probably wouldn’t be up to the level of a town road, but in the future, if it was improved, the state might look at it again,” said Mayville.

State Rep. Moe Villeneuve said the state doesn’t have legislation in place to fund a connector road or a driveway.

“Town Manager Keith Hickey was lying to the people, telling them the state would pay 80 percent,” Villeneuve said. “I’d bet $100 that the state would never pay a nickel for that. That’s going to be on the backs of the taxpayers.”

Scanlon disagreed.

“There is legislation in place,” said Scanlon.

At this year’s Town Meeting, voters rejected funding a $6.5 million connector road. But, Scanlon said, since the 2006 vote in Bedford, legislation is now in place that would allow the state to reimburse the town $5.2 million, or 80 percent, of $6.5 million – the estimated cost of the connector road.

The legislation doesn’t guarantee this reimbursement, but as long as the connector road fits DOT standards for the 10- year plan, reimbursement to the town shouldn’t be a problem, Scanlon said.

House Bill 2006 says the town will be reimbursed if it meets two conditions: the town must demonstrate a need; and the design, environmental evaluation, purchase of a right-ofway and construction is done in accordance with state requirements.

The bill allows for reimbursment for a phase of the project in the year the project appears in the state’s 10-year plan 2007- 16 based on the costs when the connector road is built. The bill, however, does not guarantee reimbursement.

“The state honors its commitment to the towns. There’s no doubt in my mind that once they did 101 work, they would hold up their word and give us the 80-percent reimbursement,” Scanlon said.

Because the school board hasn’t completed formal design plans for the three other options, cost estimates are not available. Villeneuve said these options will cost less than a connector road. He said the cheapest option might be one that the subcommittee has ruled out – extending County Road from the west into the school site.

“They claim now, because of wetlands, that it’s an impossibility,” he said.

Scanlon said he is waiting for someone to offer a better option than the connector road.

“If someone can come up with a plan that addresses the congestion issue at the new school site, I have an open ear. But as far as I can see, no one has come up with a better plan. Sticking a Band-aid on this is not the answer,” Scanlon said.