Port St. Lucie neighbors raise safety concerns, call on local leaders to protect students

PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. (CBS12) — Neighbors in Port St. Lucie say students face dangerous conditions walking to school, including busy roads without sidewalks, speeding traffic and poor lighting.

The concerns have drawn renewed attention after a 14-year-old Treasure Coast High School freshman was struck by an SUV while walking along Port St. Lucie Boulevard on Wednesday, Oct. 7. He died days later. Much of that stretch of the busy road has no sidewalks.

On Southwest Paar Drive near Winslow Street, a sidewalk runs along one side of the road but not the other. Neighbors say children sometimes have to walk or wait for the bus just feet from passing traffic.

“The roads are over congested. The roads are not safe for the kids,” Port St. Lucie resident Paul Virginia said.

Neighbors also worry about speeding and limited lighting, particularly for students walking before sunrise.

Irene Ange, who lives near Port St. Lucie Boulevard, said her granddaughter takes back roads to walk to school to avoid speeding cars and roadwork.

“I’m always afraid for them because there are a lot of cars that like to beat the bus,” Ange said.

She said the city and school district need to work together to better protect students.

“They deserve to be safe to walk to school,” Ange said. “The city, the school district above all, needs to work with all this and have the children’s safety and everything in mind.”

See also: Port St. Lucie residents weigh in on proposed Prima Vista Boulevard safety changes

The city’s sidewalk master plan calls for sidewalks within two miles of schools and connections to major roadways. But residents point to sidewalks that end abruptly, including one on Cashmere Boulevard, and roads where sidewalks are available on only one side.

“There needs to be more sidewalks for these kids,” said Abby Virginia of Port St. Lucie.

Her husband Paul added, “On both sides of the road.”

The city has additional sidewalk projects scheduled through 2028. Neighbors say safety improvements are needed sooner.

“The simple solution to solve the bus issue here is put a four-way stop,” Paul Virginia said.

An online petition is urging residents to attend the next City Council meeting on October 26 and call for immediate action to better protect students walking to school.