Big changes are coming near Tenoroc High School in hopes of preventing another tragedy.
A sidewalk is set to be installed in the area near Old Dixie Highway, where two teens were killed in recent years. In 2009, 14 year-old Colton Myers was killed walking along the highway. Last year, Enrique Hernandez, 17, while walking to school.
The families of one of those teens said it can’t happen soon enough.
Hernandez’s mother, Rosa, said she didn’t think the sidewalk project would ever happen. Even though it won’t bring her son back, it might save someone else’s.
“I feel better about them being able to walk and knowing that their lives will be saved,” Hernandez said.
The plan is to put in new sidewalks where the sidewalk ends near Tenoroc High School. One of the biggest obstacles in getting the sidewalk project completed has been trying to get some homeowners to donate their right of way, but county leaders say they now have a plan for that, too.
“We may get most of the property owners to donate that easement. Where we don’t, and that may happen, we will move the sidewalk in and out,” said Deputy County Manager, Bill Beasley. “We call it a best fit. So in some cases the sidewalk will be a little further away from the road where we do get the easement and other locations it will be closer to the road.”
The project is set to be done in phases and take about three years to complete.
It’s a timetable that advocate and family friend Daniel Barajas said will be worthwhile in the end.
“The sidewalk in itself is something small," Barajas said. "It’s the safety issue now. It’s something small, minute that most people wouldn’t think about until you have a loss of life.”
The spot where Enrique was killed is still marked with flowers and balloons. His family said they’ll be happy to see the day when a sidewalk replaces it.
The first phase of that sidewalk project will begin next week and will be finished by the first of October.