TAMPA, Fla. — As the new school year begins, there’s one thing Kierstin Bozanich and her fifth grader, Lyncoln, aren’t looking forward to: pick-up and drop-off at Bryant Elementary on Nine Eagles Road in Hillsborough County.
“I would say afternoon pick-ups are really kind of crazy because people are always in a hurry right here on this Racetrack and Nine Eagles Road,” said Bozanich.
According to Bozanich and others, the school car line often blocks traffic, some people park on a nearby sidewalk, and students walking and biking to school have to play ‘Frogger’ to cross roads busy with drivers — some of them speeding through with road rage.
“I’m sure there have been many complaints to the school district, so hopefully they’ll get better this year,” Bozanich said.
As it turns out, the Hillsborough County government is working to improve the school zone and others throughout the county.
“A good portion of our public schools have traffic issues,” said Bob Campbell, the Transportation Engineering Manager for the county.
As Campbell explained, some of the fixes in place this school year were more involved and costlier, while others were easy and virtually free.
At the Bryant Elementary/Farnell Middle School zone, for instance, a longer turn lane was added in recent years. Soon, bollards will go up to stop people from parking on sidewalks, and crosswalks have been programmed to give walkers and bikers a head start before right turns are allowed.
“What we wanted to do is put the pedestrian in a position where the driver can see them best,” Campbell said.
Kierstin hopes those changes will keep students safe. but she’d like to see more such solutions at her school zone and others across the county.
If you notice a problem in your school zone, Hillsborough County wants to know about it. Problems can be common during the first day of school but typically are resolved in a matter of weeks. However, if the problem persists after Labor Day, please visit this website to learn how to submit your concern to the county.
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