Downey : Parent Group Wants Board to Restore School Bus Stop

A parents’ group from northwest Downey has demanded that the Downey Unified School District restore a bus stop so that children will not have to cross a busy street in their neighborhood.

The children, some as young as 4 years old, must walk to Rio Hondo Elementary School along Old River School Road between Florence Avenue and Firestone Boulevard. The parents said the stretch is perhaps the city’s longest without crosswalks, signals or stop signs. The group is also concerned that the school’s crossing guard was lost due to city budget cuts. Parents presented a petition to the board with more than 100 signatures.

The board this year ended all elementary school busing within a one-mile radius of a school. District officials said the bus stop on Old River School Road falls just inside this radius.

Board members at Tuesday’s meeting said that similar problems exist throughout the city, but that budget restrictions prevent them from restoring the bus stop. Board members suggested that parents take their traffic concerns to the city of Downey and look for alternative transportation.