CAPE CORAL, Fla. -- Summer is approaching, yet the City of Cape Coral is already gearing up for next school year.
The city was recently awarded an $8 million grant and they are considering using that money to enhance bus stop safety, which includes more sidewalks, street lights and traffic signs in the area
“I would feel 100% safer,” said Pelican Elementary School student, Makayla Mones.
Makayla walks to the bus stop every morning with her cousin Jadrien but just like many streets in the Cape, there are no sidewalks.
“It’s scary because there are kids like Layla that got hurt,”said Jadrien Carmo.
“It would be better if there’s sidewalks so we’re not walking in the middle of the road,” said Mones.
Right now, only 9% of the city’s roadways have sidewalks. The city said it would take $2 million to fix that problem.
“And the benches make me feel more comfortable,” said Mones.
A bench at every bus stop would cost $6.5 million.
“It is worth it, our kids are worth it. The safety is worth it,” said Tasha Snyder, who works at Little Hearts Daycare in Cape Coral.
Part of Snyder’s job is picking up 20 to 30 daycare kids from the bus stop during the week.
“There have been so many accidents almost ready to happen, it’s not even funny,” said Snyder.
She said drivers speed past them all the time and more traffic signs are needed. According to the city, 4 standard traffic signs at every bus stop would cost at least $1.3 million. Installing street lights would be an additional million dollars.
There are more than 1,600 bus stops in the Cape but almost 75% of them don't have any street lights nearby it’s dark outside for many kids who have to wait for their bus early in the morning.
The city plans to discuss a bus stop safety plan at Monday’s committee meeting. Solutions will require input from the Lee County School District, Cape Police Department and the county’s Department of Transportation.
But keep in mind, if any of these projects are approved, it would take years to finish.
