JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – Some parents in Mayport reached out to News4Jax after seeing construction workers using sidewalks as parking spots near schools in the area, forcing kids to walk in the roadway.
"The traffic on Mayport Road and Wonderwood and A1A is unbelievable," said Amanda Perkins, a concerned parent. "They go way too fast down that road."
Some parents are concerned after seeing kids walk on the busy road because the sidewalk is blocked. News4Jax found the sidewalk along Mayport Road near Wonderwood Drive blocked by several cars parked near a construction zone on Tuesday. The area of concern is near Finegan Elementary and Mayport Middle Schools.
"It's so unsafe for the kids, they have to walk in the road and they shouldn't be parking on sidewalks at all," Perkins said.
Last year, 12-year-old Hunter Cope was struck and killed walking to Mayport Middle School, something parent Amanda Perkins doesn't want to happen to any other child.
To avoid crossing in the middle of the road, students would have to walk nearly a half-mile south using the nearest crosswalk just to get to the sidewalk on the other side of the street. Parents said they're not likely to do that.
Mayport Road is a state road, so it's illegal for anyone to park on the sidewalk. Parents want to know why the drivers aren't being fined or the cars towed. News4Jax reached out to the Florida Department of Transportation about the issue and hasn't heard back.