SAN ANTONIO – The intersection at Palmetto Way and Rockwall Mill is sparking some concerns among Northside ISD faculty and parents.
The reason? They say there’s heavy traffic and that drivers are speeding and bypassing the crossing guard, making accidents more likely to happen.
“Cars zooming by when it’s obviously a school zone. Kids are obviously still out,” said Alex Evans, an NISD parent.
“It’s really easy. Really, really, easy for a child to have an accident because they do pass by very fast,” said another NISD parent, Lillian Avila.
Both women are parents who live near the intersection that connects Judge Andy Mireles Elementary School, the Riverstone Alamo Ranch neighborhood and a park.
They said drivers tend to get impatient with backups but they need to remember small children are crossing the street.
The Riverstone Alamo Ranch Homeowners Association said it’s been trying to get speed bumps in the area for five years.
Two years ago, Bexar County Public Works did a traffic study of the intersection but said not enough traffic was going through the area to qualify for the added safety measures, according to the HOA.
After waiting a mandatory two years, they are trying again.
Public Works said the process for speed bumps varies, depending on the application process and availability.
To start the process, the HOA has to get at least 10 or more signatures and submit that to county commissioners for approval before a study is done.
The Riverstone Alamo Ranch HOA said it has done that and it is currently on a county wait list.
“We need something now because you don’t want to wait until it’s too late,” Evans said.
The school district has similar concerns as parents, saying it has increased district officers’ patrol in the area of the elementary school.
They also reached out to the Bexar County Sheriff’s Office for added assistance.
The BCSO has increased its presence but also plans to contact the HOA to better understand the issues it has been dealing with.
