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Residents urge faster action on dangerous car-rider traffic at Athens Road intersection
Summary
Multiple residents told the Stokesdale Town Council that daily backups, speeding and oversized construction vehicles at the Athens Road–Stokesdale Elementary intersection are creating a public-safety hazard and urged immediate county, school and DOT action rather than further delay.
A string of Stokesdale residents said Tuesday night that the car‑rider line and frequent backups at the Athens Road intersection near Stokesdale Elementary have become a daily safety threat and urged the town to press county and school officials for faster fixes.
In a more than 20‑minute public comment, Holly Reed described near‑misses, horn blasting and residents’ fear for children walking and playing near the roadway. "I was on the phone with Mr. Foy — you might want to get the sheriff down here to direct traffic because it's getting ugly," Reed said, describing heavy pickup trucks and construction vehicles compounding the problem.
Why it matters: Council members said the road is under state and county jurisdiction and that the school system controls on‑campus improvements, so local authority to make immediate changes is limited. Still, residents asked the town to escalate the matter to Guilford County Schools and the North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT).
Council responses and next steps: Council members and School Board member Michael Logan told residents they have raised the issue with state and county officials and plan additional follow‑up. Logan said he had contacted U.S. Sen. Phil Berger's office and urged residents to continue contacting school‑board leadership. Council members suggested requesting highway‑patrol or sheriff traffic enforcement (a 307A traffic detail) and using speed trailers as interim mitigation.
What was requested: Residents advocated several immediate actions — expanded on‑campus parking or a temporary staging area to shorten the car‑rider queue, a deputy or traffic detail during peak arrival/departure times, and expedited review of a planned stoplight and parking expansion funded by the county school bond.
Where it stands: Council members said they will continue to press Guilford County Schools and NCDOT for concrete timelines and asked staff to collect and forward residents’ documentation to county and state contacts. No new town policy or enforcement action was approved at the meeting; the council encouraged residents to pursue the County Commissioners and school‑board contacts the council identified.
The council expects an update at a future meeting after additional coordination with school and state officials.
