Royal Oaks residents press council for action as Bob Graham K–8 dismissal snarls neighborhood traffic

Residents of the Royal Oaks neighborhood told the Town of Miami Lakes council on Feb. 18 that afternoon school dismissals at Bob Graham K–8 have become “unbearable,” blocking driveways, encouraging unsafe pedestrian crossings and leaving some residents unable to leave their homes for hours.

Why it matters: Royal Oaks homeowners and other neighbors said the jammed car lines and parents parking on swales and sidewalks create safety risks for children and elderly residents, damage public property and reduce quality of life for people who live near the school. Council members, police and the school board agreed the problem is county- and district-level in scope but said they would coordinate to test operational fixes.

Residents from Royal Oaks described frequent backups and blocked driveways in public comment. Abel Fernandez, speaking for the Royal Oaks Homeowners Association, said the situation was “unbearable” and urged the council to press the Miami-Dade School Board directly: “We are asking you, Mr. Mayor as the intergovernmental person to please address the school board and we will come out in force with you so they can hear it.” Romero Cruz, HOA president, added that residents have met repeatedly with school officials but have not seen lasting changes and planned a neighborhood meeting for March 19 to press the issue.

Major Gonzales, the town police commander, told the council his department has increased traffic staffing at Bob Graham to five officers at peak dismissal time, up from the town’s usual two officers assigned to each school. He described a proposed change the police and school staff discussed last week: connecting the school’s south and north pickup loops through the bus loop to form one continuous staging lane that would allow cars to queue on school property rather than spill into neighborhood streets. “Once the gates open at 02:55, it—it's game time,” Major Gonzales said, describing how pre-staging by parents compounds the backup.

School Board member Robert Alonzo, who represents District 4, said the district has been meeting with town staff and the school and is sympathetic to neighborhood concerns. He said Bob Graham’s enrollment and post‑COVID drop in bus use have increased car traffic, noting: “This school is designed to house 2,200 kids. It currently only has 1,450 kids enrolled in it right now.” Alonzo said the district and school are considering operational options, including changing dismissal procedures and educating families about arrival times, but cautioned that any changes must preserve child safety inside the campus.

Council members asked for follow-up steps. Councilmember Quadra Garcia proposed a site visit and a sunshine meeting to assemble elected officials, school staff, police and residents to test and refine solutions. The town manager and Major Gonzales said the town would continue working with the school to pilot the connected-loop proposal and refine staging, and that a follow-up meeting with the school was already scheduled for Thursday.

What the town will do: The council did not adopt an ordinance or vote on a binding remedy at the meeting. Instead, council members directed staff to continue working with the school, the district and the police to test operational changes and to convene further stakeholder meetings. Residents said they will press the school board at a March 19 neighborhood meeting.

Ending: Council members emphasized safety as the top priority and said they would coordinate with the district and the county about both near-term operational fixes and longer-term traffic planning. The town attorney and manager noted structural fixes or repeated maintenance likely would require multiagency agreements because parts of the adjacent roads and rights‑of‑way are under county or state control.