Sheriff requests School Zones along Highway 17-92 in Orange City; lights installed

BEACON PHOTO/JEN HORTON
Coming together — An emergency community meeting on student safety takes place Feb. 8 at University High School in Orange City. Days later, lights have been donated to illuminate the students' early-morning walk to school, and Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson has appealed to the Florida Department of Transportation for a new School Zone on U.S. Highway 17-92 in Orange City, where seven students en route to or home from school have been involved this school year in traffic accidents, one of them fatal.

Seven crashes, one fatality this year involving students

By Jen Horton and Barb Shepherd
BEACON STAFF WRITERS

posted Feb 10, 2012 - 9:38:21pm

Two days after a community-safety meeting in Orange City, the path to school was already brighter for students in the area.

Two portable lights were donated to illuminate the path to the University High School, where the early-morning start time requires high-schoolers to walk and bicycle to school in the dark.

Seven students have been hit by cars in Orange City this school year while making their way to or from school. One of them, Brandon Vera, died Feb. 2, after being hit by a car while crossing U.S. Highway 17-92.

Today, Feb. 10, Volusia County Sheriff Ben Johnson appealed to the Florida Department of Transportation, requesting a School Zone on U.S. Highway 17-92 in Orange City.

"I have come to the conclusion that the speed at which traffic flows along U.S. Highway 17-92 through Orange City is contributing to unsafe conditions," Johnson wrote.

Johnson suggested the School Zone be established on Highway 17-92 between Ohio and Aspen avenues. It would impose a speed limit of 25 mph during the morning and afternoon school-start and school-dismissal times.

"While not the total solution to the problem, I believe the establishment of a School Zone along U.S. Highway 17-92 would have broad community support and, more importantly, would improve the safety of our school children," Johnson said.

The lighting donations were spearheaded by Jeff Allebach, president of the Orange City Manatee Festival. The festival donated one light, and the City of Orange City placed the second one.

Vicki Reed, co-chairwoman of the University High School School Advisory Council, said Friday morning the City of Orange City and the Manatee Festival, "lit up the roads this morning."

Reed hopes officials from the Volusia County School Board and the Florida Department of Transportation follow the local lead.

"I think our mayor and the team of community players has responded well," Reed said. "We're looking to start a watchdog group and get continued attention."

Mayor Tom Laputka raised five children in Orange City, and has advocated for additional safety precautions.

Laputka said Allebach, on behalf of the Manatee Festival, donated the first light, which was placed at Rhode Island and Carpenter Avenues. The second light, being sponsored by the City of Orange City, will be used on school days at the intersection of Sparkman and Rhode Island avenues.

On Friday, the lights were on by 6 a.m., and stayed on until 8 a.m.

"We had an awful lot of response," Laputka said. "A lot of the kids said thank you."

— Jen Horton

— info@beacononlinenews.com

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