Parents and organizers urge stoplight, lower speed and signage near Aberdeen Elementary; town pledges support and to coordinate with NCDOT

A circle of parents, community organizers and town officials on Monday pressed Aberdeen’s leaders for immediate action at the Farrer Boulevard–Highway 5 intersection near Aberdeen Elementary, saying frequent close calls and at least one recent crash show the crossing is dangerous for students and families.

A resident who said she had been in an accident at the intersection told the board the road ‘‘is an accident waiting to happen’’ and asked the town to pursue ‘‘a stoplight, to lower the speed to 25 miles to 35 miles an hour routinely with a 25 mile an hour speed limit at school times’’ and to install more visible signage so motorists know a school is nearby.

Isaac Jenkins, who identified himself as CEO of Concerned Systems and said he has helped organize a petition, told the board more than 200 parents have signed and urged the town to back an interim solution such as clearer signs or a reduced speed until longer-term changes can be secured. "I'm pleading to this township today…we need some type of sign and perhaps that will help us a little bit until we can get to the point that we have a stop light or school zone," Jenkins said.

A police official presenting crash data told the board the school opened in September 2020 and that recorded wrecks near the site have been limited: "In 2020…0 wrecks; 2021, 2; 2022, 0; 2023, 3 (one involving a bus); and so far in 2024, 1." The official said callers typically complain about drivers making left turns from Farrer Parkway rather than collisions on Highway 5 itself and described selective enforcement efforts the town has deployed.

Town leaders acknowledged parents’ concerns but cautioned that Highway 5 is a state-maintained road controlled by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The mayor said the town lacks authority to place signs on that highway and cannot unilaterally station officers on a state road twice a day throughout the school year. "That road belongs to the North Carolina Department of Transportation," the mayor said, adding the town can request changes but not install signage directly.

Board members and staff reviewed the history surrounding the school placement and said the town had conditioned development on safety measures but that NCDOT previously evaluated the intersection and found a traffic signal "not warranted" based on trip counts. Still, several commissioners said they would press NCDOT to review signage and timing as Highway 5 widening plans proceed and offered to add the town’s support to letters from the school board.

The board did not vote on a specific traffic control measure at the meeting. Instead, members told residents they support the petition and will assist with outreach to NCDOT and the Moore County school police to pursue signage, selective enforcement and other interim steps while the state reviews longer-term solutions.

Next steps noted at the meeting include town staff and local advocates engaging NCDOT and the school system, and community volunteers continuing to gather signatures for the petition.