GREENACRES, Fla. — Parents living across from Greenacres Elementary School are sounding the alarm about a dangerous situation they say could turn deadly at any moment— they are asking the School District of Palm Beach County for a closer crosswalk so children have more ways to cross busy Haverhill Road to get to school.
WATCH:
Brandon and Lynn Pote reached out to WPTV reporter Christy Waite after growing increasingly worried about student safety. The couple lives across from the elementary school near Carver Street, where the speed limit is 40 mph with no school zone designation or crosswalk. The nearest guarded crosswalks are located much farther away, near Greenacres Christian Academy and at 10th and Swain.
"Right here on Haverhill, there's no school zone or crosswalk. It's 40 mph. How can a kid go across the road?" Pote asked.
The situation is particularly challenging for families like the Potes, who are zoned for Greenacres Elementary but don't qualify for bus service. This forces them to either walk or drive across the dangerous stretch of road daily. The couple explained in an email that they have to carry their developmentally delayed daughter across the street because she cannot walk fast enough to cross safely.
When WPTV visited the family on Haverhill Road, the danger became immediately apparent. A car crash occurred before the interview even started. Video footage captured heart-stopping moments— a child nearly being struck by a passing car, families desperately dodging traffic and children on e-bikes and scooters attempting the risky crossing.
"This road right here is a dangerous road," Pote said. "If the kids are going to school or not going to school, they speed up and down this road 24/7."
The family is calling for immediate action before tragedy strikes, specifically requesting a crosswalk and school zone designation at Haverhill and Carver.
"Try to put a crosswalk in right here, and make it a school zone before someone gets hurt or killed," Pote said.
"We need a crosswalk and a stoplight. You can't cross," Trevino said.
WPTV reached out to the School District of Palm Beach County and received the following statement:
"Please note that multiple pedestrian crosswalks with traffic signals are located near Greenacres Elementary School. This includes one across Haverhill Road just south of Cambridge Street and one at 10th Avenue South, as identified in the attachment. The School District strongly discourages jaywalking or crossing the street where there is no designated crosswalk. Families are encouraged to talk with their children about the importance of pedestrian safety and practicing safe habits while walking to and from school..."
"...Greenacres Elementary School resides in a school zone, where traffic speeds are limited to 20 miles per hour along Jackson Avenue during arrival and dismissal times. With school in session, we remind drivers to allow extra commute time and exercise caution near schools. Please remain highly alert for students, school buses, and heavier traffic."
Neighbor Omar Trevino shares these safety concerns and explained why the existing crosswalk near Greenacres Christian Academy isn't a realistic solution– it's simply too far from Greenacres Elementary for families to use regularly.
Map provided by the school district, highlighting the nearest crosswalks to Greenacres Elementary School:
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