Kids sitting in dark street to wait for school bus poses alarming problem | Street Scene
Q. Lauri brings to our attention students waiting for the Leon County School bus sitting in the street, in predawn darkness. There is nowhere for the children to sit down at the Harriet Drive and Ruth Drive Intersection which is designated a Leon County School Bus stop. My husband is offering to build a bench to give the children a place to sit away from the street when it was advised by an individual reading the Nextdoor post to contact Street Scene.
A. Letting Street Scene know of children sitting in the road during darkness warrants an immediate solution. We notified Superintendent of Schools Rocky Hanna as soon as your letter came to my attention, Lauri. Street Scene joins Lauri, all parents and concerned neighbors in resolving this frightening development. Hanna has assured Street Scene he will look into this immediately.
With daylight getting short and hours of darkness increasing it’s the time of year children become more vulnerable to vehicular traffic while waiting for school buses during the confusing morning civil twilight and the more dangerous total darkness. After school bus trips can have children arriving at their bus stop as darkness falls then walking home after nightfall. Drivers stay vigilant.
You and your husband are a credit to your community, Lauri, your diligence and willingness to bring about a remedy of this potentially deadly situation is not lost on any of us here. For your husband to offer his expertise as a skilled carpenter/craftsman to build a place for the children to take refuge away from traffic is heartfelt and commendable. However, as some minimal excavation might be necessary we turn this over to the only person to bring about a swift, proper and permanent solution. Our Superintendent of Schools.
Delays on resurfacing US 90
Q. John wants to know why the delay completing the resurfacing of US 90 between Capital Circle and Buck Lake Road.
A. This project is scheduled through Jan. 18, 2025. However, I wouldn’t bet too much money on it, as we have all experienced every day torrential rains, so too have highway construction crews. All construction in proximity to the latitude and longitude of Leon County have been plagued by heavy rains for weeks. Rain days are understood to delay road construction so there is a forgiving schedule in place so construction companies receive no fines or punishment for delays due to inclement weather.
Confusing sign on North Meridian
Q. Craig says thank you Street Scene for the service you provide our community. I want to report a very confusing signal at North Meridian Road at the Forest Meadows tennis complex that can be baffling. Recently I was waiting behind a truck as I was leaving the tennis complex. He was facing a stop sign on his right and the overhead traffic signal waiting to turn left. The overhead signal was flashing No Left Turn restricting his left turn. The flashing signal went dark and the northbound and southbound Meridian traffic stopped.
A. This is a stop sign controlled intersection. Drivers exiting the tennis complex must stop and yield the right-of-way to north and southbound free flowing traffic on Meridian Road. When the RED overhead Pedestrian Signal is activated by pedestrians wanting to cross Meridian Road, traffic on Meridian must stop and yield to pedestrians.
The no left turn sequence facing traffic exiting the tennis complex is in place to prevent left turning vehicular traffic being in conflict with pedestrians in the crosswalk. As with all stop sign controlled intersections when the way is clear right turning traffic is permitted southbound as there are no pedestrian conflicts. Or at least there shouldn’t be. In short, this is pedestrian signal activated by pedestrians not vehicles.
Shared space on bike lane
Q. Michael writes, would you please explain how drivers should treat a broken (dotted) line of a bike lane at a right hand turn? I was always of the impression that drivers of cars should move over into the bike lane at the point where the line is broken. Thank you for all you do for so many.
A. Bike lanes are marked with solid white lane lines with a white bicycle symbol in the center for confirmation of a protected travel lane designed for bicyclists only. However as a bike lane approaches an intersection or bus stop, the white lines are dashed to indicate shared space. 316.2065 is the Florida bicycle regulations statute.
Bike lanes must transition from solid white lines to dashed (shared space) white lines sufficiently in advance of an intersection or bus stop. There are a few locations where the pavement markings crew mistakingly deviate from proper design protocol, which I have seen in other Florida cities as well as other states.
Any vehicle v. pedestrian traffic crash in shared space, conflict or argument should go before the courts. Painting incorrect types of lane lines is not uncommon. It is imperative all vehicle operators including newly licensed drivers understand signs, signals and pavement markings. To be sure paint crews, sign crews and traffic signal installers can and do occasionally get it wrong.
The first large overhead directional signs cantilevered over the east and west Mahan Drive approaches to Capital Circle NE were installed 180 degrees off. The message facing eastbound Mahan Drive was taking everyone north to Tallahassee International Airport. The signs were up several days before the mistake was realized.
More railroad crossing repairs
Q. Brenda has two railroad crossings in need of immediate repair: Benjamin Chaires Road and the Baum Road crossing.
A. Street Scene has long considered poorly maintained RR crossings to be a safety hazard. …calling CSX President and CEO Joseph Hinrichs. Also, Honorable County Commissioner Rick Minor, who has asked Street Scene to notify him if he can be of assistance. There you have it Brenda, two heavy hitters on your side of fewer car repairs and public safety.
Community concerns
Q. John appreciates Street Scene for expressing the need to protect our parks and the public that uses them. John asks when will common sense ever be used to make rational decisions?
A. We appreciate John and all Street Scene readers caring about, and participating in, the betterment of the many communities this newspaper reaches.
Philip Stuart is a retired Florida State Trooper, Traffic Operations Projects Engineer and Forensics Expert Witness. Write to crashsites@embarqmail.com.
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: Tallahassee kids are sitting in dark street to wait for school bus
