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Increased Traffic on Road Worries Holly Springs Parents
School bus drivers in Holly Springs are dealing with increasing road congestion brought by the town’s growth and limited space on the roadways. Now, some parents are calling for help in keeping their children safe.
Posted — UpdatedSchool bus drivers in Holly Springs are dealing with increasing road congestion brought by the town’s growth and limited space on the roadways. Now, some parents are calling for help in keeping their children safe.
On average, almost three families a day move into the Wake County town. More people brings more traffic, and on Avent Ferry Road, that has meant more accidents.
Holly Springs resident Deb Carlton, whose children have rode a school bus on the roadway, said there have been five school bus accidents there since school started in August.
“You know that old saying: Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Well, I let them fool me five times,” Carlton said.
Department of Transportation division manager Joey Hopkins said the accidents are indicative of the larger issue of how the area’s rapid growth strains the department's resources.
“We've got over 1,500 miles of roads just like this in Wake County,” Hopkins said.
DOT officials said it hopes to address the problems on Avent Ferry Road this spring or summer.
When asked if the concern is that someone might be killed on the road before a solution is implemented, Hopkins said, “Yeah, that's a valid concern on all our roads, and we have to weigh that in with everything else.”
Hopkins said the DOT can’t keep up with the growth, and the department is chasing its own tail in that regard. However, Carlton said changes need to become a priority for the state.
“There's enough money somewhere in this state to make sure that the roads are safe for our children to travel,” Carlton said.
Carlton said she doesn’t necessarily want the road widened because that might cause people to drive faster. She said she would like to see flashing lights and a pedestrian zone on Avent Ferry Road. She also wants the school zone extended and the speed limit lowered.
“I don't have a crystal ball but I have common sense, and I know that someone is going to get killed,” she said.
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