In a bid to improve safety for students, the Fairfax County, Virginia, public school system has eliminated most of the 22 bus stops on Blake Lane — the road where two Oakton High School students were killed in a June 7 crash.
“Twenty-two bus stops are being changed in time for school this coming week. Students will no longer be waiting for the bus along the busy Blake Lane,” said Fairfax County School Board member Karl Frisch.
An 18-year-old driver, Usman Shahid, is facing two counts of involuntary manslaughter for the June crash. Police Chief Kevin Davis said that Shahid was driving 81 miles an hour in a 35 mph zone.
The school system’s Office of Safety and Security and the Office of Transportation Services conducted a safety study of the school bus stops following the June crash.
Six stops will remain on Blake Lane, but students will wait for the buses on side streets. They will be at least 50 feet from Blake Lane and won’t approach the school bus until all traffic is stopped.
Other changes aimed at boosting safety are the addition of new caution signs that read, “Watch for Children” and “$200 Fine for Speeding.”
More safety features are planned for the future.
“As part of this change to the bus stops, our office of Safety and Security is going to recommend installing marked crosswalks on the intersection of side streets of Blake Lane,” said Frisch. Such requests go to the state Department of Transportation.
