PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — Neighbors along Port St. Lucie Boulevard say more needs to be done to protect pedestrians as construction continues on the busy road.

Their concerns come after a 14-year-old Treasure Coast High School student died from injuries he suffered when he was hit by an SUV while walking to school.

Police say the freshman was walking along the edge of Southwest Port St. Lucie Boulevard near Squirrel Avenue on the morning of Oct. 7 when he was struck from behind. He was pronounced clinically deceased two days later.

His family chose to donate his organs.

Much of the roadway remains under construction, and there are no sidewalks along large sections of the corridor. Recent heavy rain also left portions of the shoulder flooded, further limiting space for pedestrians.

“He was just going to school,” said neighbor Irene Ange. “He was just starting his high school year. He had the right to be safe.”

Irene Ange, who has lived near the boulevard for more than two decades, says students often walk or bike close to traffic, sometimes before sunrise.

“The stretch of road is dangerous,” Ange said. “It’s very dark, and drivers are not following the speed limits. They are going fast.”

Ange said she saw first responders rushing to the crash site and was heartbroken for the student and his family.

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The teen’s mother told CBS12 by phone that her son was a people person who made friends easily. She said the family does not want this to happen to another child.

The Florida Department of Transportation is widening the southern portion of Port St. Lucie Boulevard from two lanes to four and adding sidewalks on both sides of the road. FDOT says the sidewalks will be eight to 10 feet wide. The project is expected to be completed in winter 2028, with an estimated cost of about $25.6 million.

CBS 12 saw crews building sidewalks several blocks from where the crash happened. FDOT did not respond to questions about what pedestrian safety measures are in place while construction continues.

“No accountability with that response because now there’s another death,” Ange said.

Ange says more needs to be done now to keep children safe on their way to school.

“This did not have to happen to this family,” Ange said. “So many are affected. The family now have to mourn him.”

The driver initially told officers he believed he had struck a construction barrel and has been cooperating with investigators. It remains unclear whether any charges will be filed.