Fulton County school seeks help with dangerous situation

ROSWELL Ga. (CBS46) - Families at a small school that sits on the border of two north Fulton County cities are growing frustrated that neither city government has addressed a dangerous traffic situation at the school’s entrance.

Porter Academy, a private school for children with varying developmental needs, opened 22 years ago on Cox Road near Arnold Mill Road.

In the past couple of years alone, three of the school’s families have been involved in accidents at the school’s entrance where the speed limit is 40 miles per hour and a tricky turn lane complicates matters.

A driver hit Nancy Neilsen’s car recently as she was trying to pull into the school to drop off her 12-year-old son.

“It was very scary,” Neilsen said. “My son was very scared.”

“It’s very frustrating when you see your special needs children get injured and have to go in an ambulance,” said Barbara Richard, Porter Academy’s assistant principal.

For years, Richard has asked for safety improvements but she says each time, Roswell police tell her it’s a Milton issue, and Milton police tell her it’s a Roswell issue.

“I can’t get a school crossing sign. I can’t get a crossing guard, a flashing light, a reduced speed limit,” she said. “I’ve gotten no help in ten years.”

CBS46 reached out to both jurisdictions and learned street improvements on Cox Road fall under Milton’s jurisdiction. A city of Milton spokesman said the recently passed special purpose local option sales tax includes future improvements to intersections in and around Cox Road.

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