WESLEY CHAPEL, Fla. — With so many new neighborhoods in Pasco County, the need for sidewalks is greater than ever before. An eighth grader stepped forward to make sure his fellow students had a safe path to school, and his push helped bring more than a million dollars for improvements.
Josh Patrick said he had seen enough of kids struggling to get to class.
“I just thought it was unacceptable. Kids having to walk and ride bikes through drainage ditches, having to dodge cars on the side of the road. It’s absurd,” Patrick said.
Parents like Angela Klein say they share those concerns.
“I see kids, when I drop my kids off, walking in the street and on the grass,” Klein said.
The trouble spots are along Curley Road and much of Wells Road, which lead to the Wesley Chapel school complex, where the Weightman Elementary, Weightman Middle and Wesley Chapel High School are all located. County officials say there have been about 30 crashes in this area in the last three years.
“I complained a lot about it, but he was the one to actually do something about it,” Patrick’s mother, Marsha, said.
Patrick took his concerns to Pasco County officials and even made a presentation to the Metropolitan Planning Commission. His plea eventually reached Tallahassee, and state leaders approved $1.5 million toward a project to build two miles of sidewalks in the area.
The Pasco school district has given the county a priority list of schools most in need of sidewalks. While the Wesley Chapel schools will be getting theirs in the next 18-24 months, the top priority on the list is in Land O’Lakes near Pine View Middle and Elementary School.
“The list is a moving target depending on what projects come in, development projects in the area, because the builders now, we are requiring the builders and the developers to build segments of sidewalks. Where before the county, that wasn’t necessarily the policy,” said Pasco County Commissioner Seth Weightman.
The demand for sidewalks has grown alongside Pasco’s rapid population boom. Thousands of young families have moved into new subdivisions in Wesley Chapel, Land O’Lakes and surrounding communities. As neighborhoods expand, students are often left walking on roads with little to no pedestrian infrastructure.
The issue has been made more urgent by changes to Pasco’s bus policy. Many students who live less than two miles from their schools no longer receive “courtesy” bus service, meaning more children are walking or biking along busy roads.
Within the next few years, more sidewalks are expected to be built near schools across the county.
“If you see an issue that you aren’t happy with, you can do something about it. Go to your local commissioners. Voice your opinion, and this might happen,” Patrick said.
Share Your Story with Erik
For more than 15 years, Erik Waxler has called Pasco County home. He’s dedicated to helping his neighbors solve problems and celebrate those who help others. Share your ideas and tips with Erik below.
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