Kent School Bus Routes Affected by Obama Visit

Bus routes for some grade-school students at Kent City Schools will be effected by President Barack Obama's visit to Kent State University today.

Local police authorities have closed off part of Summit Street from South Water Street east towards Dix Stadium.

Kent City Schools Superintendent Joseph Giancola said that, as a result, buses cannot acccess some neighborhoods between Horning Road and Loop Road.

Giancola said the district is directing buses down Horning Road, which isn't closed, to a Kent State parking lot at the corner of Horning Road and Summit Street. The students will be dropped off and will have to walk home from there.

"The secondary students probably will have no problem walking home,” Giancola said. "Myself and Jim Soyars (district director of business services) will walk students home."

The bus routes effected are for students who attend Stanton Middle School, Theodore Roosevelt High School, Walls Elementary and Holden School.

Giancola said parents were invited to take children home at lunch time to avoid the traffic issues caused by the president's visit.

"Once you start getting out east you can get to that Kent State parking lot coming down Horning Road by the United Church of Christ," Giancola said.

Obama is expected to speak at Kent State some time before 6 p.m.