LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — Students and families walk across Gunnery Road daily in Lehigh Acres. They typically check both ways several times before they can even cross the street with the heavy traffic and tight curves.
Parents said it's why they'd like to see their safety concerns addressed on the busy road where their children attend Tortuga Preserve Elementary School.
Michael Kasten crosses the double yellow line every day to pick up his son Otis.
"Once you cross through those gates...you fend for yourself including the children," Kasten said.
He can't join the pick up line early, so he parks on a side street and walks up with other parents because the parking lot is full.
He said they can't park on the side of Gunnery Road due to the no parking signs, and the school's located between blind curves.
Watch Lehigh Acres Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades report below:
Kasten loves his son's school but wants to see a crossing guard, cross walk or stoplight at Gunnery and Ordnance Road.
"That is the only complaint," he said he has with the school.
Other people shared their concerns as well including grandfather Derrick Horton , who shows up early and picks up his granddaughter.
Once he passes the fence leaving the parking lot, he said he's worried.
Horton said, "It's nerve wracking because, actually, I take a right turn out of here, and they dart out in front of you or people can't see because the the line of cars coming in."
He also supports the idea of adding a crossing guard.
Horton described, "Groups of them instead of one or two at a time and you'd have it be organized instead of just chaotic."
Tire shreds scattered across the road in front of the school on Friday, and Kasten said when he dropped off his son earlier, they weren't there, and it proves his concerns.
"Lehigh matters. These kids matter and that these parents who walk and can't afford vehicles matter, you know, and we'd appreciate it, if we can be protected," Kasten said.
If parents want a crossing guard, they need to send in a request to the school. The school sends the request to FDOT's community traffic safety team.
Lehigh Acres Commmunity Correspondent Ella Rhoades spoke with the Lee County School District. They said in the past Tortuga Preserve parents made the request.
"They discovered they could not have a crossing guard unless there is a crosswalk."
With no crosswalk on Gunnery Road, it leaves parents stuck in the middle of the road for a solution.
But, Kasten won't give up when it comes to his child's safety.
