Citizens and Lee town authorities alike have noticed the change in the school zoning along Hwy 90 in front of Lee Elementary.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) orchestrated the change when Hwy 90 was undergoing a resurfacing project in September of 2015 and very few have supported the change since then.
The school zone had once been placed so that drivers coming from Madison would have to slow down for the zone after coming right up to the front west corner of the LES campus grounds and the speed-reducing zoning would be held until drivers were cleared from the front of the school.
Now, however, the school zone has been moved so that it only protects a pedestrian crosswalk that is located on the east side of the school; the zone offers no protection for school buses or the vehicles of school employees or parents that are coming in and out of the school driveway.
“My [student's] parents are very concerned about the traffic safety, because there are so many people coming in and out of the school in the morning and afternoon and all the buses coming in,” said Lee Elementary Principal, Robin Hill. “Now the speed limit [in front of the school] is 50 miles per hour. If a car comes down here doing 50 miles an hour when someone is trying to turn out, especially with as many people as there are turning out, that’s when it becomes a safety issue.”
Principal Hill stated that many parents have come to her with concerns about the safety of the school zone not being placed where the school is located, but instead being located down the road.
The pedestrian crosswalk was implemented when the FDOT oversaw the resurfacing of Hwy 90 and while the need to protect the pedestrians that are crossing the highway is a relevant one; the decision to only encompass the crosswalk in the school zone is something that has left many citizens with feelings of disapproval and concern.
The Madison County Sheriff’s Office reports that they are aware of the recent changes to the school zoning and has been in communications with FDOT to express their and the community’s serious concerns regarding the change and safety of children coming to and departing from the school.
When it was brought to FDOT’s attention that the new zoning did not encompass any entrances or exits to the school, FDOT could only advise that the changes were in accordance with federal specifications taking the highest level of safety into consideration.
The Sheriff’s Office also inquired about the safety concerns relating to school buses loaded with children or motorists delivering children to the school.
A driver heading east would not even enter the school zone until well past the school and its driveway and a driver headed west would be allowed to enter at a rapidly accelerated speed limit directly in front of the school.
It is concerning, especially as the speed limit outside of the school zone only reduces to a 40 miles per hour limit.
FDOT could only say that the school zones were focused on pedestrian safety and they referenced the recently installed sidewalks and insisted that the purpose of the school zone being relocated was to include the crosswalks.
Florida Department of Transportation seemingly has no plans to alter the school zone, although there is discussion of lowering the 50 mph speed limit to 40 mph so that, while the school is still unprotected by the zone, the motorists going past the LES will at least be in a slightly reduced speed zone.
The FDOT concluded that persons of interest or concerns could call their district office in Lake City at (386) 961-7440.
The Sheriff’s Office further encourages those with concerns to call and petition the FDOT to revisit the project and the changes made to the school zone. The Sheriff’s Office will continue to monitor this area with law enforcement presence to encourage motorist/pedestrian safety and caution.