GILBERT, AZ — Robert Rice Elementary School parents are concerned about the lack of a school zone in front of the Southeast Valley school.
“People are going well over the speed limit,” said Jim Gray, father of a second grader at the school.
Gray, along with others, told ABC15 they want to see school zones signs up and a lower speed limit.
“They tend to fly through here through he quite often,” said Gray. “I think it’s a good idea for either on that side of school or that main area as well."
Candice Garcia estimates she’s seen cars going past the school going at least 60 miles per hour. Her child is a fifth grader at Rice.
“All the other schools have school zones and I just hope it gets right,” said Garcia.
The current posted speed limit in front of the school is 45 miles per hour.
The school was built in 2020 and is part of the Chandler Unified School District, but it has a Gilbert address.
CUSD told ABC15 they have also been concerned since the school opened.
The district said administrators have been reaching out to both the city of Chandler and town of Gilbert.
ABC15 reached out to both as well. Chandler's communications staff said they checked but their traffic team didn't have any complaints. They did tell me the area directly in front of the school would be in Gilbert town limits.
Gilbert’s communications team said there were intermittent construction zone projects planned in the area back-to-back that would lower the speed limit to 25 miles per hour. But once the first project finished, there was a delay in the second.
ABC15 asked why the 45 mile per hour signs were in place, and the communications team said they thought they were installed before the school was built.
Gilbert staff said the intention was to implement a school zone after construction in the area was completed, but now the town is planning to put 35 mile per hour school zone signs up as soon as possible. Those same staff members didn’t have a timeline, but said in the next few months they also plan to install flashers.
ABC15 was told Gilbert would be communicating with CUSD and the city of Chandler.
