TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (WTXL) — Parents of Tallahassee School of Math and Science are calling for a change to keep kids safe from drivers on one of Tallahassee's busiest roads.
They are concerned over the lack of school-zone signs around the charter school.
Parents say they want and need school zone signs and crosswalks at the Tallahassee School of Math and Science. Their biggest concern is the school's location on Monroe Street is one of the busiest streets in the city.
"I urge the officials to get busy now and get this done," said Geoff Grove.
Geoff Grove is a dad with serious concerns when it comes to the safety of his children and other students at Tallahassee School of Math and Science.
"It's a mess out there in the morning and in the evening and it's just not safe," Grove said.
Grove's son and daughter have been going to the school for more than a year. The K-8 charter school sits right off of Monroe Street.
With about 400 students, he says action needs to be taken against the lack of school zone signs posted around the school.
"I feel like its not a matter of if but when there's going to be a terrible accident out there involving a student," said Grove.
The Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) understands his frustration. Since 2016, the department has surveyed the area to determine whether or not the school is qualified to be a designated school zone area.
"One of the main designations for a school zone is the amount of pedestrian traffic that is in that area," said Ian Satter, a spokesperson with FDOT. "With the school that's being talked about, there's not a lot of pedestrian traffic that is being counted in that area."
Satter says as the school continues to grow, there is a chance that school zone signs could be considered.
"Safety is always going to be our number one concern and part of that and part of that is going to be the re-evaluation of that area," Satter explained. "As we continue to move and go forward and if that school continues to grow, we will re-evaluate that."
FDOT does have plans to install a traffic light Talpeco Road, not far from where the school is located. The idea is that the light will help with controlling traffic.
Adding school zone signs in front of the charter school is something that the principal, Ahmet Temel, hopes to see happen soon.
Temel sent ABC27 his statement saying in part:
"Safety and well-being of all our students is our absolute highest priority at the Tallahassee School of Math and Science and we hope that DOT will demonstrate that it is their priority too."
