LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — “It’s just heartbreaking,” is more than a phrase; it’s a sentiment echoing in the hearts of many who discuss school bus stop safety in Lehigh Acres, intensified by the recent tragic accident. Residents are acutely aware of the risks children face while waiting for buses, and conversations about safety have taken on a somber tone.
“Don’t ever get close to the road; you know, stay as far back as you can,” Mariah Foster plans to tell her children this Monday as they wait for their bus. Her voice carries the weight of a parent’s concern, a reflection of the anxiety many share as they send their kids off to school.
Just last week, in a spirit of community, Lehigh Acres Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades highlighted the efforts of neighbors who took it upon themselves to maintain the bus stops, cutting the grass to make waiting areas more inviting. Optimism fill the air as she recounted how they mowed the grass at Columbus Boulevard and Ermine Street, the very spot where a child was struck by a car last week. Their kindness was a beacon of hope, a temporary reprieve from the larger issue at hand.
Watch Lehigh Acres Community Correspondent Ella Rhoades report below:
“It’s just heartbreaking,” Lehigh wants safer bus stops for their children
“They just did the bus stops, and everyone was so excited about it and thought that the kids would have a safe place to hang out and not be at risk as much as they were before,” Foster said, her voice faltering. The word “heartbreaking” emerges again, a stark reminder of how quickly community efforts can be overshadowed by tragedy.
According to the Lee County School District, “Our bus stops are located on the public easement, so the responsibility to maintain the property lies with the property owner.” They assure that every bus stop adheres to standards deemed safe. However, for Foster and other parents, those assurances feel distant and insufficient.
Feeling sidelined, Foster expressed her frustrations, stating, “It’s not really their problem, and there’s not much that they can do about it—or so they say. They claim the bus stops are private property, but our kids go there.” This sentiment is not isolated; it reverberates throughout Lee County, where the issue of bus stop safety has lingered for years.
Reflecting on a heartbreaking incident from 2019, when eight-year-old Layla Aiken lost her life waiting for a bus in Cape Coral, the community’s pain becomes palpable. Layla and her brother, innocently sitting by the roadside, remind everyone just how fragile safety can be. Following that tragedy, residents rallied to raise funds for picnic benches at bus stops, a gesture of love, but also a sobering reminder of what was lost.
Foster passionately argues that there must be a more permanent solution, suggesting that sidewalks could create a buffer between children and the road. “How do we take the steps that need to be done because there’s a lot of people that feel like we need them?” she questioned, voicing a dilemma many parents grapple with. The call for action is clear, yet the path forward remains uncertain, clouded by systemic challenges and a sense of helplessness.
Locals like Foster believe that safety should never be a privilege but a right for every child. As the community stands at this crossroads, united in grief and hope, they look towards brighter days—when waiting for the school bus would feel less like a gamble and more like a routine part of childhood.
