PALM COAST, Fla. — A big part of back to school is dropping off kids for class, but a resident of one Palm Coast community is worried that drop-off is dangerous.

What You Need To Know

  • Mark Willis says parents use Forest Grove Drive to drop off kids

  • Forest Grove Drive is located behind Matanzas High School

  • The school installed a sign saying Forest Grove Drive is only for students on bikes or foot

  • Palm Coast plans to come up with a traffic calming plan for city streets in fiscal year 2025

Mark Willis, who lives off Forest Grove Drive, said parents are using his road as an unofficial drop-off spot for students at Matanzas High School.

“It’s just crazy, cars line up all up and down here all the time, going to school before and after,” Willis said.

Forest Grove Drive is behind Matanzas High School. While Forest Grove Drive does offer a walkway for students to get to class, it’s not a designated vehicle drop-off or pickup spot.

“The biggest deal with the street is the speeding, afternoon and morning rush when the parents are dropping the kids off," Willis said. "They are the speeders. And they just disrespect the neighbors, even for the kids walking up and down the sidewalk. It’s just not a pleasant place to live now.”

Willis said a sign was installed on the fence to alert parents that Forest Grove Drive is not a designated vehicle drop-off or pickup location. But more signs need to be installed along the street, along with something to slow down drivers, he said.

Palm Coast recently completed a speed study, which found an average of 900 vehicles use the street daily. Most are going 36 miles per hour or slower on this 30-mile-per-hour street.

A city spokesperson said the city plans to develop a traffic calming plan to help slow down drivers on Palm Coast streets in fiscal year 2025.

“There’s young kids, parents out here walking babies in strollers on it,” Willis said. “They need to get a handle on it. Somebody is going to get hurt.”

There used to be no parking signs along the street, but the Flagler County Sheriff’s Office had the city remove them because they were causing more problems as parents, instead of parking to let out their kids, were dropping off students in the middle of the road.

The district said it hopes the small sign it installed encourages parents to use the official drop-off location on Pirate Nation Way, off Matanzas Woods Parkway.

If you’ve got a traffic trouble spot, school related or not, fill out the form on the website.