Sidewalk safety concerns for St. Johns County students inspire new law
A new Florida law will require a bus to take students living in the St. Johns Forest neighborhood to and from Liberty Pines Academy.
Kimberly Reach lives in that neighborhood and has four kids who go to the school. She said she never let her kids walk to school on the sidewalk along County Road 2209, where 9B and St. Johns Parkway meet.
'That sidewalk is extremely dangerous,' said Reach. 'No kid should have to go on a walk like that, and no parent should have to worry about their kids going to school.'
In 2018, the school district cancelled bus service for most of the St. Johns Forest neighborhood when crews built the sidewalk for children to walk to school. But that sidewalk, which was already rebuilt in 2023 because of safety concerns, has now been deemed hazardous by a new bill signed by Governor Ron DeSantis. The state law revises what it means to have 'hazardous walking conditions.'
'For 5 years, there have been life flights,' said State Representative Kim Kendall. 'There have been cars that have flipped over onto the sidewalk. There have been cars that have crashed into the overpass.'
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Kendall, who introduced the bill, said there have been many accidents in that area, and 5 years ago, when she was approached by some parents raising concerns, she made it a priority to help them get a bus back in their neighborhood.
'The day bill drafting opened up, I instantly wrote this bill first through bill drafting,' said Kendall. 'This is one of those times that we needed to be proactive, and I am just so thankful that nothing terrible has happened up to this point that we can get this bill implemented and these kids safely on the school bus.'
As state law, it will not only help these St. Johns County students, but also those who are experiencing a similar situation in other counties.
'When I did write this legislation and go through the committee process to hear from other legislators, even Duval County and Orange County and places across the state, they said that this bill will help those students.'
Which is something Reach is also thrilled to hear.
'It just makes me so happy that this will impact more than just our neighborhood,' said Reach. 'That this can be a positive thing for a number of children .'
The bill takes effect on July 1st, so students in the St. Johns Forest neighborhood should have a bus starting next school year.
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