FORT MYERS, Fla. -- Parents are pushing a petition for a safer route for their kids to get to Treeline Elementary school.
As students wrapped up their first month of school, students who live in the Botanica Lakes neighborhood next to Treeline elementary crawled through bushes to get home. "Sometimes we trip get we hurt our ankles," said one student.
Parents are never thrilled to call this their child's route home. However, one parent tells Fox 4 it is still safer than looping around Treeline Avenue, which does not have a school zone or crossing guard. With a 40 mile-per-hour speed limit, she doesn't think it's safe enough for her first grader.
Close to 150 parents feel the same way according to this petition, which asks for a safer access point to the neighborhood.
The Lee County School District tells Fox 4 they've already shown concern over the issue to the county. Lee County officials said school district staff don't want a gate at the site because it could compromise security at the school.
As for the lack of school zone, the County said it only provides reduced speed zones where there are crosswalks and they have yet to receive a request for that. However, the Lee County Department of Transportation has asked the Florida Department of Transportation to install radar speed feedback signs in the area to reinforce drivers attention to speed. They are still waiting to hear if they can accommodate the request.
