At a community discussion Thursday, Oct. 15, the North Florida Transportation Planning Organization presented draft safety measures for Hood Road and Hornets Nest Road, which meet near the school. The agency is working with the Florida Department of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program. The proposals are under consideration, not approved construction plans.

Potential changes on Hood Road include a reduced-speed school zone, raised medians, a pedestrian-activated crossing signal and improvements to the traffic light, possibly including a flashing yellow arrow. Planners also suggested flexible lane markers, a midblock crosswalk and a raised median on Hornets Nest Road.

Transportation planner Thalia Fuste said Jacksonville could consider a school zone with a speed limit of about 15 mph and flashing signs operating during arrival and dismissal.

The planning organization’s presentation cited 30 crashes in the area over a five-year period from 2021 to 2026. Fourteen occurred during school arrival or dismissal, and two involved bicycles.

Parents described drivers moving in several directions at once around the school. Amy Shapiro said navigating the area can require drivers to anticipate one another’s moves. Neighbors also said school traffic can block access to nearby homes, with rain making the congestion worse.

Walking and biking are another focus of the review, though many families remain uneasy about children traveling without an adult. In a school travel survey, 71% of respondents said they would not feel comfortable with their child walking or biking to school alone. Five percent said they would definitely be comfortable, while 21% were undecided.

Fuste said planners are considering organized walk-or-bike-to-school days, safer crossings and updated school education about e-bikes. The North Florida TPO coordinates transportation planning across Duval, Clay, Nassau and St. Johns counties; FDOT’s Safe Routes to School program aims to improve conditions for students walking and biking.