PALM BAY, Fla. — Dozens of parents, staff, and students fed up with what they say is inaction by Brevard County to address speeders and traffic violators took to holding up signs along the stretch of road in front of their school Wednesday.
- Parents, administrators: Motorists speed in front of Royal Palm Charter
- They say they've asked Brevard to improve signage with no response
- Dozens took to roadside to hold up signs telling motorists to slow down
Tina Mitchell's daughter attends Royal Palm Charter School in Palm Bay and says speeding is a problem. Since 2016, she and other parents and administrators have been trying to get Brevard County to install better signage.
“In my opinion, we need crosswalks. It needs to be enforced that you can't turn left out of the school or into the school," Mitchell said.
Principal Shannon Shupe says in her 14 years leading the school, the speeding issues have gotten worse. She says when the school was built about 17 years ago, traffic wasn't as congested, and they didn't have as many students.
Because of the population increase in the area, Shupe says she's asked for new signage, saying that the flashing school zone lights need to be brighter and closer. The "school ahead" pavement markings are not on the same block.
“We had a student that got hit a couple of years ago," Shupe says. "We thought that would help our cause in getting signage and a crosswalk. We didn't get any further than what we already had."
Even when the school zone signals are flashing, Shupe says they're too far away from the school. The school says adding to the problem is when drivers turn onto Babcock Street from Waco Boulevard, they miss the school speed zone sign because the traffic light is there.
It's not only morning commuters who need to pay attention. Some parents are breaking the rules, too.
While the rally took place, some drivers were seen going about 45 mph in a 20 mph zone. One woman even tried to enter the school through the exit lane — as parents stepped in to confront her. The woman quickly got upset and continued to drive slowly into the school's exit, with two rally attendees in her path.
No one was hurt.
Parents and students watched the brief altercation unfold, including 9-year-old Ar'miah Sharp.
Ar'miah said she turned out Tuesday because she wants to educate people. According to Florida law, speeding up to 5 mph in a school zone can get drivers a $50 fine; if you go above that, it's about $100.
“Some people go fast, and they don't listed to the 20 mph speed limit,” Ar'miah said.
Shupe says she's talked to council members, the Brevard school board, the school district, and she says nothing has been done.
The Space Coast Transportation Planning Organization said in a statement: "Any signage or pavement markings would be coordinated through Brevard County Public Works as this section of Babcock Street is maintained by the county."
Public Works said its school zone flashing signals are located where they are because of the power source. At the time they conducted the study to find out whether a crosswalk is needed in front of the school, the department determined that the number of pedestrians do not warrant a crosswalk, it said.