Parents describe risky crossings, ‘kids running to dodge cars’ on roads near NISD schools

Parents and neighbors say students near Northside Independent School District schools in Alamo Ranch are taking risks to cross busy roads as the area grows.

At Talley Road and Old FM 471, a crosswalk near Straus Middle School is difficult to see, and residents say drivers and students often struggle to navigate the intersection.

“In a little bit, you’ll see some kids running to dodge cars, see if they’re going to stop properly or not,” Edward Guzman Jr., an NISD parent, said.

His son, Edward Guzman III, said students run across quickly and could get hurt.

The district said it assessed the intersection at the Straus Middle School entrance and exit on Talley Road. In a statement sent Oct. 30, an NISD spokesperson said the district recommended adding a crossing guard to complement the crosswalk and existing signals.

Residents say the problem extends beyond that intersection. Near FM 471 and Talley Road, just up the road from Straus Middle School, pedestrian signals are not yet operational. Parents said students had no button to activate a signal and had to wait for a break in traffic.

“They’re going to have to cross whenever they can, if the traffic lets them. They’re going to have to run,” Andrea Shipman, an NISD parent, said.

Shipman said she does not let her two children walk home, even though they could, because of the traffic patterns.

In September, a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) spokesperson said a project at the intersection included installing and activating permanent traffic signals and pedestrian features. The signals were still not operational when KSAT was there on Nov. 6.

“It’s not a Northside issue, it’s definitely something to do with TxDOT,” Shipman said.

Residents suggested adding crosswalks and warning signs. Guzman III said schools could also consider a safety patrol program, with students in bright vests helping direct peers, like he does at his school.

“We’ve got to do better,” Sonya Schiferl, an Alamo Ranch neighbor, said.

The concerns span multiple jurisdictions, including NISD, Bexar County and TxDOT. In a separate response about a fading crosswalk at Talley Road and Old FM 78, Northside ISD said it was not aware of the issue and would notify the county, which oversees that intersection.

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