WEST SENECA, N.Y. — Richie Schack, a senior at West Seneca West High School, collected over 400 signatures asking lawmakers to do something to make walking to and from school safer.
"Students are extremely close to roads. Cars travel very fast, which can be lethal or can cause serious injury," he said.
Schack added: "The fact that there hasn't been anything done is almost disturbing, and I want there to be change."
New York State Assemblyman Patrick Burke recognizes the problem that exists for West Seneca West High School students who do walk.
"Kids get out of school, at 1:30, they're released and almost incentivized to go toward an open, multilane road," he said.
Burke met with officials from the town, county, state and school district. He said the county owns the road and the town owns the the traffic signals. He said he plans to work on New York State funding for a solution.
"I would like a sidewalk, but it doesn't necessarily have to be one. Just a safety procedure, a safety, just something implemented that can help residents, not only students, but residents of West Seneca and the district, of course," Schack told 2 On Your Side.
There is a new working group that includes representatives from GoBike Buffalo, the West Seneca School District, the New York State Department of Transportation, the Town of West Seneca, Erie County, and the New York State Assembly.
"I don't want it on my conscience, when some kid gets hit there, because their government wasn't responsive," Burke said.