School bus stops under review

PINELLAS PARK - As students head back to class after the winter break, many will be greeted at their bus stops by school district staff.

Superintendent Julie Janssen says on Monday, they'll start reviewing their arterial bus routes.

"They're going to talk to students about pedestrian safety. They're going to remind them that they need to pay attention. They're also going to be getting information. They're going to collect data on how kids are getting to our stops. Are they walking, are they being brought by parents," Janssen said.

Janssen says it's a continuing effort to improve student safety. But it comes nearly two weeks after the death of 17-year-old Nora Hernandez-Huapilla.

Nora attended Pinellas Park High School.

On the last day before winter break, Nora was heading to her bus stop. Her friends said she was worried she'd miss the bus, so she starting running across 66th St. North. She was struck by a car and died.

There are 125 bus routes in Pinellas that are called arterial routes. Students who choose not to attend their neighborhood school can go to another school. If they need transportation, they are required to take an arterial route. The bus stop is on a main road, and has fewer stops to make the route quicker.

Dr. Janssen said district policy encourages parents to drive their kids to the bus stop, because they are on busy roads.

"Where we have our stops, we believe are safe. We know what our policy says, what the guidelines are. What we're finding is, in actuality, many students are walking to those stops," she said.

Once the data is collected from the bus stops, a community advisory group will take a look at it. They will have 60 days to decide if changes need to be made.

Carol Dillman said it's been devastating to the teens. Her daughter Heather witnessed Nora's death and is a good friend of the teen. They say they want the bus stop changed.

"I don't feel comfortable where this bus stop is, especially at this hour of the morning. It makes me very nervous," Dillman said.

Dillman doesn't like crossing the road herself.

"It scares me to death to do it myself. So I can imagine what these children feel like," she said.