JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Police were out patrolling Thursday morning near a local charter school after the News4Jax I-TEAM discovered students were having to dart in front of cars to cross a busy Jacksonville road.
The I-TEAM first spotted two officers on both sides of Beach Boulevard Wednesday morning near River City Science Academy, located at the base of the Hart Bridge Expressway. The school has 1,250 students in kindergarten through 12th grades.
The officers were there making sure kids use the crosswalk at Parental Home Road and sidewalk to get to class.
The Jacksonville Sheriff's Office told the I-TEAM it gave out warnings Wednesday but started issuing citations Thursday to pedestrians and drivers spotted breaking the law.
According to JSO, it will cost $67 for anyone caught running across the lanes of traffic instead of using the crosswalk. Police said they hope this will teache kids there's another, safer way.
The Sheriff's Office took this step in response to a four-month I-TEAM investigation that revealed students darting in and out of traffic to cross the busy road.
The investigation began after a concerned News4Jax viewers contacted the I-TEAM about the number of children he had seen crossing all six lanes of traffic during the peak of morning rush hour. He was concerned that his complaints to the school district and city were being ignored.
I-TEAM: Students play 'traffic roulette' on Beach Boulevard
I-TEAM investigators observed the same reckless behavior day after day, not just among students, but also other pedestrians and even drivers.
The I-TEAM also saw a number of parents and other drivers cutting corners to avoid waiting longer at the intersection. Investigators even observed drivers waiting in the left-turn lane on Beach Boulevard becoming so impatient that they drove over the median to get to the school.
The Florida Department of Transportation said it has decided to build a concrete barrier on the median to prevent pedestrians and drivers from crossing the road.
Anyone who would like to give feedback, which may help expedite the process, can call FDOT spokesman David Fierro at 904-360-5582 or email him at David.Fierro@dot.state.fl.us.