ONECO, Fla. (WFLA) — The Florida Department of Transportation has reinstated school safety zones on State Road 70 in Oneco in preparation for the upcoming academic year.

Citizens for Historic Oneco, a local organization focused on preserving the area’s distinct historical character, announced in a release that the flashing 20 mph safety lights along the busy highway have been restored. These were previously removed in 2023, leading to community unrest.

Margi Nanney, spokesperson for Citizens for Historic Oneco, highlighted the dangers posed by the highway, which is one of the most hazardous in Manatee County, especially for students returning to Oneco Elementary School.

“Oneco Elementary has had safety lights for over four decades. In the 1990s, during the expansion of SR 70 from two to six lanes, the FDOT intended to remove them, but we successfully lobbied to keep them installed. Although by law they are not required on state roads, an exception was made. Today, with traffic exceeding 33,000 vehicles daily, many speeding, the removal of the lights shocked us,” Nanney explained. “We advocated once again for their reinstallation to avert a possible tragedy. There was a lot of blame-shifting among various agencies about their removal.”

Nanney praised the efforts behind restoring the safety zones, stating, “We commend our District 2 Manatee County Commissioner, Amanda Ballard, for ensuring the FDOT reinstated them. While it might inconvenience drivers who are in a hurry, slowing down along SR 70 is a small price to pay if these lights save even a single life.”