Parents question "no parking" signs at Lehigh Acres school bus stop

Parents in Lehigh Acres are questioning the placement of "no parking" signs near a school bus stop at Champion Avenue and Centennial Boulevard, expressing concerns about the safety of children. "I really feel like he's being selfish and not thinking about the safety of kids, but worried about his grass rather than the safety of children. You can replace grass, but you can't replace kids," said JoeAnn Alaniz, a Lehigh Acres resident. Alaniz, who has five children who ride the school bus, said she took steps to improve safety at the bus stop. "I got this bench made for him and other kids that ride the bus here because I know it's a safety issue. Ever since that accident from the first little girl that passed away and I just want to keep the kids safe," Alaniz said. The "no parking" signs began appearing after the first week of school, not only in Lehigh Acres but also in a San Carlos Park neighborhood. "I've been watching a lot of people trying to speed up and go faster than the bus so they don't have to stop. They go around the buses. They don't even know if kids are walking to the bus because buses stop and they're going around the bus. It's just very dangerous for these little kids right now," Alaniz said. Lee County officials stated that residents are generally not allowed to place signage in county-maintained rights of way along county roads. Lee County Public Schools also addressed the issue, urging parents to follow the law and act respectfully at bus stops. "We expect and encourage parents to follow the law when picking up or dropping their children off at the bus stop. We also expect and encourage them to be respectful. If that is not happening, then law enforcement should be notified," the district said. The Lee County Sheriff's Office confirmed they contacted the resident who placed the signs. The resident explained to deputies, and later Gulf Coast News, that she placed the signs there to discourage parents from parking on the easement, so that the children could remain safe. The resident said that if parents park there, students are left with no room to stand. She said that some are even forced to stand on the roadway when the school bus approaches. Deputies suggested removing the trespassing signs, and the resident complied. DOWNLOAD the free Gulf Coast News app for your latest news and alerts on breaking news, weather, sports, entertainment, and more on your phone or tablet. And check out the Very Local Gulf Coast app to stream news, entertainment and original programming on your TV