We, the undersigned parents, guardians, residents, and community members, are requesting that the district conduct a new on-site traffic study at Angeline Academy of Innovation to address the ongoing and worsening safety and congestion issues during student pick-up times.

While we recognize that a previous traffic study identified gaps in the car line and student loading times as primary contributors to congestion, these factors alone do not fully explain the current challenges. Even under ideal conditions with cars packed bumper to bumper and loading times minimized, traffic would still heavily overflow onto Ridge Road. The current traffic plan is simply not equipped to handle the current volume of vehicles using the car line.

Since the last study was last conducted, our school has grown significantly, with over 250 additional students enrolled this year alone, bringing more than 200 additional vehicles to the daily traffic flow. This increase has created severe backups on Ridge Road, with traffic often extending over a quarter mile in both directions.

This congestion affects more than just parents, staff, and school buses; it poses a serious public safety concern. Thru traffic, including emergency and construction vehicles, is unable to get past the car line. In addition, many drivers, in an attempt to bypass the backed-up traffic, are using the incorrect oncoming lane to go around stopped vehicles, creating the serious risk of a head-on collision.

We are requesting that the superintendent, district leadership and the Department of Transportation for Pasco County to conduct a new traffic survey during pick-up times to assess current conditions and develop actionable solutions to:

•Improve traffic flow.
•Enhance safety for families, as past congestion has already led to accidents.
•Ensure safe access for all vehicles, including emergency and construction traffic.
• Address visibility concerns, as congestion along Ridge Road obstructs sight lines, making it extremely dangerous and nearly blind for vehicles attempting to pull out into fast-moving traffic.
•Prevent dangerous maneuvers, such as wrong-way driving, caused by congestion.
•Reduce backups on Ridge Road for the entire community.

With enrollment projected to grow significantly, adding over 400 students as the two smallest class cohorts graduate, the issue will only intensify. Over the next two years, larger class sizes will bring a substantial increase in vehicles and congestion to the area, further straining local infrastructure. And now imagine how much worse the situation will become if and when bus hubs are no longer provided to this magnet school, forcing even more families to drive directly to campus for pick-up. The current plan is no longer adequate for the school’s size or its growth trajectory.

We respectfully urge the superintendent and Pasco County to visit the school in person during dismissal to witness the challenges our families face firsthand and take meaningful steps to address this logistical nightmare.