'Very unsafe': Palm Bay residents sound alarm over intersection near school following crashes

PALM BAY, Fla. - Cars are driving off the road, right into the woods near a local school. Now, parents are sounding the alarm about a dangerous intersection near Heritage High School.  

People tell FOX 35 News that the concerning stretch is in northwest Palm Bay at St. John’s Heritage Parkway and Malabar Road. Last week, a large truck drove right into the woods, and that isn’t the only time it happened.  

In the past three years, Palm Bay Police say there have been 28 crashes in the area with some cars driving straight into the nearby undeveloped wooded area. There is only one stop sign near Heritage High School, and neighbors are asking for change before someone loses a life.  

"They need to do something about it before kids are dying because that’s what is going to happen," said Rachel Pinciotti. She takes Heritage Parkway every day to get to work and always worries about her high schoolers trying to make it safely to school.

Pinciotti says she sees danger every day all along St. John’s Heritage Parkway and near Pace Road and Emerson Drive. 

"It is accidents waiting to happen," she said. "It’s very congested, and the people of Palm Bay need something done about it right away." 

On Heritage, there are no traffic lights or streetlights and the area is swampland, so fog is a major hazard. Drivers already deal with pileups almost every day, and more people will soon be using the road because new homes are under construction.  

"It’s mad crazy. You can’t turn out. It takes a good 15–20 minutes to even raise your gas to get out of there. It’s very unsafe, really unsafe," said Lorie Reed who also lives in a nearby subdivision. 

Neighbors aren’t sure how many traffic lights would help but say trying to pull out of nearby neighborhoods is harder than it should be.  

"It’s a ‘Frogger’ situation. It’s do or die. You go, or you don’t go," said Pinciotti. 

The city of Palm Bay says change is on the way. A spokesperson shared a rendering with FOX 35 of a new project at the intersection. The city wants to add a traffic signal with added streetlights and an extended westbound right turn lane for Malabar Road. 

"Get a traffic light up there," said Reed. "Stop signs don’t do nothing for nobody because they don’t care." 

The city says the county is still looking over its proposal. Drivers could see work at the intersection starting early next year. 

Neighbors hope improvements start as soon as possible because this area is developing rapidly. Right near the high school, a new Publix is coming soon which will add even more traffic in the area.