Residents and council press for fixes at 321/70 school intersection after crashes

A longtime resident described repeated deadly crashes and near‑misses at the intersection of US‑321 and State Route 70, urging the council and law‑enforcement agencies to take stronger action before more people are injured or killed.

"Something needs done. People see that the traffic's not moving on Hickory Creek...I pray that you all can do something about it before another person is killed in this intersection," the resident said during the public‑comment period.

During the meeting the police chief said the department created a special traffic detail last month focused on school zones and high‑complaint corridors and is actively monitoring the intersection. He said officers will stop drivers who flagrantly violate traffic laws, use discretion with warnings and citations and that technological tools (like LPRs and signal improvements) can be part of a longer‑term solution.

Council members pressed the chief about what specific measures the department can take beyond asking parents to change routines. The chief said placing officers in intersections to direct traffic would require multiple officers per intersection and could divert resources from 911 calls; he urged community patience in the first weeks of the school year while behavior normalizes and suggested increased use of school buses to reduce vehicle volume.

No immediate traffic‑engineering measure or new enforcement program was approved at the meeting; council members asked staff and the police to continue coordination with the county school system and Sheriff’s Office and to evaluate additional enforcement or engineering options for peak drop‑off times.