LEWISTON – A new $200,000 loop exclusively for buses will be built in front of Lewiston High School this summer to accommodate hundreds of students taking the bus for the first time.

The spending was approved in a 8-1 vote Monday night by the School Committee.

This fall, the city will provide free busing to high school students who live 1 miles from school, or live in traffic areas unsafe to walk. Now, students pay 60 cents each way to take the bus.

A survey of parents has showed that between 400 to 500 students are expected to take the bus, in addition to 130 now paying. In following years the number of riders is expected to grow as students and parents get used to busing, and fewer parents drive their kids to school or allow them to get their own vehicles.

To handle those numbers, a bus loop is needed, said Lewiston School Department Superintendent Leon Levesque. “If we’re going to do this we’re going to do it right,” he said.

The loop will provide room for 10 buses to enter, park in front of the school and leave. Before school is dismissed at 2 p.m. there’ll be a line of yellow buses waiting.

The bus loop will include a wide lane for buses only, and a separate lane for parents picking up students. The two lanes will be segregated by sidewalks, trees and hedges.

In back of the school more buses will pick up and drop off students. Pratt estimates that 15 buses will be needed to transport qualifying high school students, but there’s room for more if needed.

An existing grassy knoll and flagpole will be rebuilt and include benches, making it a better place for students to meet.

The $200,000 to pay for the project comes from surplus from three capital improvement projects: $10,000 from the Martel School roof, $56,000 leftover from the middle school roof, and $150,000 from masonry repairs at the middle school. Because the spending was approved in bonds, surpluses can only be spent in capital improvements, Levesque said.

In the bus loop vote, City Councilor Stavros Mendros was the only one against it. Recalling how he thought in high school, Mendros said he would drive his own car “even if gas was $10 a gallon. I hope I’m wrong,” but he doubted 400 students would be riding the bus.

In case the number is lower than expected, why not wait until the need for the bus loop is demonstrated, Mendros suggested. Other members disagreed.

In other business, committee members were told that high school juniors took the required SATs on May 5. Of the 328 juniors, 303 showed up for the Saturday exam. The remaining are scheduled for make-up exams or are being “chased down,” said Assistant Principal Michael Hutchins.

And, this year’s graduation will be held June 8 at the Colisee instead of outdoors on campus. “We’re tired of dealing with the weather,” said Assistant Principal Paul Amnott.

The Class of 2007 will watch themselves instead of listening to a speaker. In lieu of a keynote speaker seniors are putting together a slide show of their four years, which will be displayed on two large screens, Amnott said.