Alamo Ranch Students Face Risky Road Crossings
Parents say students cross busy roads near Northside ISD schools while promised pedestrian signals remain non-operational.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Secondary Education
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Parents and neighbors in Alamo Ranch describe students taking risks crossing busy roads near Northside ISD schools. Permanent traffic signals at FM 471 and Talley Road were still not operational when KSAT visited on November 6.
Why it matters
Residents say rapid growth in the area has increased traffic and the risk to students walking to school. Without activated signals or a crossing guard, students must wait for gaps in traffic before crossing.
Students at FM 471 and Talley Road have no button to activate a pedestrian signal, and TxDOT's September project timeline for activating the signals has not been met. Northside ISD recommended adding a crossing guard at the Straus Middle School intersection.
The players
Northside Independent School District
The public school district serving students in the Alamo Ranch area of San Antonio, which assessed the intersections and recommended a crossing guard.
Texas Department of Transportation
The state agency responsible for the highway project that includes the permanent traffic signals at FM 471 and Talley Road.
Bexar County
The county government that oversees the Talley Road and Old FM 78 intersection, where NISD said it would notify the county about a fading crosswalk.
The details
NISD assessed the Talley Road entrance and exit of Straus Middle School and recommended a crossing guard to complement the existing crosswalk and signals. The crosswalk near Straus Middle School on Talley Road and Old FM 471 is difficult to see, and students run across the road quickly.
Timeline
September: TxDOT announced a project to install and activate permanent traffic signals and pedestrian features at the FM 471 and Talley Road intersection.
October 30: A NISD spokesperson recommended adding a crossing guard.
November 6: KSAT found the pedestrian signals still not operational.
Roadmap
The delayed Alamo Ranch signals fit a broader pattern in which TxDOT school-zone pedestrian projects are announced before they are activated. Residents' concerns reflect how fast-growing suburban areas around San Antonio are adding traffic faster than school-area crossing infrastructure.
Parents of students at Straus Middle School should plan safe walking routes and avoid the Talley Road crossing at FM 471 until signals are activated. Families can watch for the district's crossing guard decision and report the faded Talley Road and Old FM 78 crosswalk to Bexar County.
The takeaway
Until the pedestrian signals are activated, students crossing Talley Road near Straus Middle School depend on gaps in traffic, making adult supervision and a crossing guard the most immediate safeguards.
Further reading
For related coverage of school commuting, see Secondary Education in San Antonio.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KSAT.
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