Crews are building a second pedestrian bridge to carry race fans across International Speedway Boulevard in Daytona Beach. But students who cross that street every day are asking why there’s no bridge to help them get across safely.

Charon Sherman, 19, left the Mainland High School campus to get to Daytona State college. Like hundreds of other students, he’s enrolled in both schools, but his path to higher education is not the safest. He has to dodge speeding cars on International Speedway Boulevard to get to Daytona State’s campus.

Meanwhile, about a mile away, construction has started on the second Daytona Beach pedestrian bridge. It’s just a couple of blocks away from the first one, which was built in 2002.

Hundreds of thousands of visitors come to Daytona Beach for Speed Weeks and the Coke Zero 400. The crowds are so big, the Florida Department of Transportation saw the need for a second bridge.

"And the idea there is that, as that becomes a more year-round venue, is to increase safety and more of the pedestrian mobility there," said FDOT spokesman Steve Olson.

Kelsey Lawson, 18, is a senior at Mainland. She said she’s been crossing ISB to get to the state college campus her entire high school career.

"I feel like they need to build one here. Or at least another crosswalk for students to get to Daytona State instead of people down there where there's really nothing down there," said Lawson.

Lawson said the bridge is mainly used during the races, which only happen a few times a year.

Olson said FDOT is aware of the hazards that students face when they try crossing International Speedway Blvd. between Mainland and Daytona State College. He said they're working to try to make things safer for students.

Olson said school district, state college officials and FDOT are studying the issue, looking for answers.

"You know, do we go as far as saying do we put in a bridge there, do we increase pedestrian safety at the crosswalks? I think that we're looking at all the possibilities at this time," said Olson.

The new bridge is expected to be completed by fall of 2016.