ROCKFORD, Ill. (WTVO) — Rockford Public Schools begin classes on Thursday, but some parents are concerned about how their children are getting there.

With Charles Street closed down for construction, there is added traffic to Broadway Street. With the Charles Street construction being delayed again, some say that these concerns do not seem to be going away anytime soon.

“Anyone driving Broadway during school hours, please slow down,” said Nancy DeLand, mother of a freshman at East High School.

DeLand’s son has to cross Broadway Street to get to school.

“I had a child graduate last year, and that was before Charles Street closed, and he said sometimes he could stand there for 10 minutes waiting for an opening, and now it’s even worse than it used to be,” DeLand said.

While many kids will have to cross the street, DeLand is especially concerned since her son has Legg–Calvé–Perthes disease, which effects a person’s hips and mobility. While it does not entirely hinder him, it is an added worry for her.

“The only special accommodation he has is in gym class, he can do as tolerated gym,” So, I mean, he’s doing very well, but he’s not super fast, and to cross Broadway, sometimes you have to be,” DeLand said.

Some neighbors are a bit frustrated with the hold up on the Charles Street construction, as it was supposed to be completed before school started for the year.

“So for now, it’d be great if they could offer a crossing guard or something that could help kids cross because, you know, I trust my son crossing, I know he would be safe,” DeLand said. “It’s just, I don’t trust drivers.”

Charles Street is set to open on October 9 after beginning work back in April.

“Anybody that’s been around Charles Street sees that there’s, a lot of times, it’s just sitting there and nobody is working on it,” DeLand said. “So, I’m not sure what all the delays are that are involved, but it has now affected the school year and it’s affected us that live by Broadway.”

Rockford Public Schools start Thursday, so residents should make sure to drive extra safe with kids walking to school.