LEHIGH ACRES, Fla. — Parents and guardians in a Lehigh Acres neighborhood are feeling the frustration of back-to-school traffic jams, with some reporting wait times of more than an hour to pick up their children.
David Richman, who was picking up his grandchildren from school on Monday, described the scene.
"It was chaotic. You were out on homestead not even moving, in both directions traffic," Richman said.
Click here to see Lehigh Acres Community Correspondent Victoria Quevedo explain what he saw on the first day of school:
The congestion is centered around Homestead Road and Sunrise Boulevard, where both Amanecer Elementary and Lehigh Acres Middle School are located.
A Lee County School District spokesperson confirmed that more than 350 cars lined up for student pickup at Amanecer Elementary alone on the first day of school.
"I just think that they really need to assess the roads a little better and see what they can do to change the traffic, make it safer, especially with maybe a light out there at Homestead and sunrise," Richman said.
When Quevedo reached out to the district about Richman's concerns, a spokesperson said in a statement:
"School administrators are already strategizing new ways to expedite the process and will notify parents when changes are implemented."
The district noted that the first few days of school are always slower as everyone adjusts to new routines. School leaders are asking for patience as they work with law enforcement to address the congestion.
"They've got to make it a little smoother, a little safer," Richman said.
For now, Richman says he will have to arrive early to pick up his grandchildren.
"I may have to come earlier, I'd hate to come later. I just don't know," Richman said.
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