St. Lucie Public Schools altered a bus route near Paar Drive after a Port St. Lucie mother publicly complained about students walking along a roadway with no sidewalk, though the district said the original bus stop remains appropriate for student use.
Belinda Green raised concerns about a bus stop at Paar Drive and Winslow Street and posted a video on TikTok showing the area. Green said students are forced to walk along portions of Paar Drive where there is no sidewalk and limited space next to the road. She suggested the district split the stop to create an additional stop at Paar Drive and Jarmer Road to reduce the distance students walk along the roadway and prevent them from crossing the street after the bus has left.
The district's transportation department reviewed all routes and bus stops in the area and determined the existing stops are appropriate for student use. But after WPTV brought Green's concerns to the district, officials made a route change nearby to reduce the need for students to cross the road. The district said students who do need to cross should do so under the direction of the bus driver and with the bus's safety control devices.
Green said her biggest concern is the limited space available for students walking along Paar Drive. She pointed to the white line marking the edge of the car lane and said that space should not be used by pedestrians. Green said addressing potential safety concerns now is better than waiting for a serious incident.