CHARLOTTE, NC — Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools has alerted parents it has moved a Steele Creek area bus stop it called “unsafe” following the death of a student.
Zoe Deen was hit by a car along Buckthorne Ridge Lane, near Youngblood Road, off Highway 49 last month.
Witnesses said the 15-year-old sophomore at Olympic High School was running to catch a bus when it happened.
In the notice to parents, CMS said it was moving a stop that used to be at Buckthorne Ridge at Youngblood to a new location at Buckthorne and Derby Farm Lane.
Neighbors who spoke with Channel 9 Friday said they had complained to CMS that it was a dangerous stop, and someone was going to get hurt.
“It was an unsafe bus stop up there. We've been trying to get it changed for a little while now. It's sad that it took the little girl to die in order to change it into the neighborhood,” said Mary Wynn.
“It was an unsafe bus stop up there,” nearby resident Mary Wynn said. “We've been trying to get it changed for a little while now. It's sad that it took the little girl to die in order to change it into the neighborhood.”
We reached out to CMS about the stop. They gave us this statement:
School bus safety is extremely important to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools. The CMS transportation office works diligently to provide safe transportation for more than 127,000 students who ride school buses daily. After internal review and in response to requests for bus stop changes around the location of the recent tragic event on Youngblood Road, CMS Transportation has taken the following steps to protect safety of students:
Changed locations for some school bus stops in the Southern Trace, Montreaux and Creekshire communities.
Designated all bus stops on Youngblood Road as right side of the street only stops.
CMS Transportation reiterates to all families and students that students should only board school buses at their assigned stop. Schools will notify affected families of any change to their child’s stop as route changes are finalized. Questions or concerns about CMS Transportation they may call 980-343-6715 or access the transportation department’s website.
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