Sullivan Road Project Could Resume

Design Intruded onto Private Property

Negotiations Quietly Settle Legal Problem

by Woody Jenkins

CENTRAL — A legal problem that has delayed construction of the roundabout in front of the new Central School Complex appeared Wednesday to be on the verge of settlement.

Central schools Supt. Mike Faulk said a special meeting of the school board at 12 noon Thursday will consider whether to purchase a small piece of land belonging to a homeowner at the corner of Sullivan and Gurney roads.  If the purchase is approved, the legal problem will be resolved and construction will resume almost immediately, Faulk said.  The school board meeting will be held at Central City Hall.

When the new school complex was being designed, the school board favored building a traditional intersection with turn lanes, but the City-Parish required construction of the roundabout instead.

The City-Parish designed the project.  Apparently, when the titles to the properties at the intersection were being researched, a servitude appeared to exist that would have allowed construction of the roundabout.  However, after construction began, it was discovered that the design intruded onto private property.

Now negotiations have been complete for purchase of the small tract in question, pending approval by the full school board.

While Sullivan Road has been blocked at Gurney during the construction of the roundabout, access to the Central School Complex has been allowed via Devall Road and via Joor Road headed south on Sullivan Road to the north entrances.

Supt. Faulk said after the settlement agreement is final, a timeline for completion of the roundabout will be announced.