Toledo charter school expansion causes big headaches for people living nearby

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) - Big trucks, little road. That’s what some Toledo neighbors are seeing as a charter school starts to expand. Now they’re trying to make sure part of their neighborhood isn’t destroyed in the process.

Beecher Avenue near Holland Sylvania Road is looking pretty rough these days. In large part because of the large trucks that now travel it.

“And they use this as their main entrance because it’s the only entrance they have,” said Linda Kulwicki who lives near the school.

This road has become the teacher, parent and now construction entrance for the Western Toledo Preparatory Academy, a K-8 school. Modular classrooms are about to be added and construction on athletic fields are underway. That’s why neighbors see these huge trucks on a tiny road.

“Yeah there’s no way they should be able to come through here,” said Meribeth Keefer who lives near the school.

The special use permit for the project says use of the road to the rear of the property is limited to employee parking, deliveries and emergency vehicles.

“It’s really bad. They take up more than the road a lot. You can see where we have erosion in our yards from where their tires are right into the berm on our yard,” said Keefer.

The school’s physical address is Hill Avenue, it’s actually the old Our Lady of Lourdes school. But a bridge near Hill Avenue even has a sign on it saying no cars beyond it. A tiny neighborhood street has become the construction entrance. Even Toledo Police are trying to keep the truck drivers out.

We asked if the city’s listening to their problems on the road.

“I don’t, I don’t. None of the neighbors do,” said Kulwicki.

As for school leaders, “they think they can get away with what they can get away with,” said Kulwicki.

13 Action News reached out to school leaders Monday to get some information about this. We didn’t get a response today, although it is a holiday and summer break.

The school does say on its website that there is a school board meeting this Wednesday so we’ll see if we get some answers by then.

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