School Bus Transportation Suspended Near Piney Point Reservoir

PALMETTO, FL — As county, state and federal workers continue to race against the clock to prevent a full wastewater breach at the Piney Point reservoir in Palmetto, bus transportation has been suspended in the area’s evacuation zone, the School District of Manatee County said in an emergency message to families in the district.

The initial mandatory evacuation order from Manatee County came Friday evening and included as many as 20 homes. The evacuation order was expanded Saturday evening due to further collapse of one of the phosphogypsum stacks on site and affected more than 300 homes.

The evacuation zone extends south of Piney Point to Moccasin Wallow Road, which is also closed west of 38th Avenue. U.S. Highway 41 is closed south from Buckeye Road to Moccasin Wallow Road.

Residents can plug their address into this tool provided by the county to see if they fall within the Piney Point evacuation zone.

The following Manatee County schools and school bus stops affected by the wastewater breach at Piney Point include:

Palmetto High School

Bus 1035:

• 2405 113th Street East
• 11209 Bud Rhoden Road
• 105th Street East and 31st Street East
• Bud Rhoden Road and 100th Court East
• 34th Drive East and Moccasin Wallow Road
• Moccasin Wallow Road and 27th Ave. East

Bus 1061:

• Artisan Lakes Parkway and Mabry Drive (potentially)

Palmetto Elementary School

Bus 1068

• 10301 Bud Rhoden Road

Palm View K-8 School

Bus 1061

• Reeder Road and Piney Point Road

Harvey Elementary School

Bus 1048

• 100 Court East and Bud Rhoden Road

Tillman Elementary School

Bus 651

• Moccasin Wallow Road and 34th Drive East
• Moccasin Wallow Road and 27th Ave. East
• 2405 113th Street East
• 10351 Bud Rhoden Road

Buffalo Creek Middle School

Bus 1036

• Moccasin Wallow Road and 28th Ave. East

Lincoln Memorial Academy

Bus 574

• Moccasin Wallow Road and 27th Ave. East

For additional information, call the district’s transportation department at 941-782-1287 or visit the website.