North Fort Myers parents demand safer roads after school bus crash

NORTH FORT MYERS, Fla. (WINK)—A late May school bus crash at Bayshore Road and Williams Road has parents once again calling for change.

Parents say speeding, growth, and heavy school traffic have made this intersection a safety concern for years. The Florida Department of Transportation studied the intersection, and law enforcement has stepped up its watch, but many parents say they still don't feel safe.

WINK News Traffic Anchor Mariaregina Mendoza spoke with families who say they're tired of waiting for action. Parents told her every school day starts with the same concern: How do they get their children to school safely?

"There are a lot of accidents; there are problems with it. My kids go to the school, and I don't feel safe whenever they go to school," Matthew Olcolm, a parent, said.

Olcolm says this area has grown rapidly, but the infrastructure hasn't kept up.

"We've had five new communities get approved to be in this area, and then in this area they have done nothing to update the infrastructure," Olcolm said.

A school bus crash last week at this intersection has only added to those concerns. Parent Angela Flint has been pushing for changes for years.

"I emailed the higher up in FDOT to get told that it is not a school zone because it's not within 10 or 20 feet, and it does not qualify for a school zone area. If it doesn't qualify as a so-called school zone to reduce the speed, then they need to put a traffic light or something," Angela Flint said.

FDOT completed a signal warrant study at the intersection in 2023. It studied 16 crashes—12 of which resulted in injuries—over a five-year period.

The intersection is riddled with long delays, school traffic, turning conflicts, and crash concerns. FDOT told WINK News it still gets complaints about the intersection.

Right now, there are no improvements in the works. A school zone beacon stands in place, but parents say they never see it flash.

Meanwhile, the Lee County Sheriff's Office has kept an eye on this area as well. They've issued 77 citations, including 36 for speeding.

"We've got to safely get our kids to and from school," Olcolm said.

As those troubling numbers continue to grow, the traffic isn't stopping. Parents say their fight for change isn't either.