Letters to the editor - 4

Many of the citizens of Alvin have written letters to the editors of the local newspapers favoring the Alvin ISD Bond and encouraging everyone to vote in favor of this bond. We'll be publishing a few of them here, in case you missed them.

October 17, 2013

 

Dear Editor,

The voters in Alvin ISD should know the facts about the November 5 bond election, especially about the new junior high in Manvel. The combined student capacity at Manvel Jr. High at Rodeo Palms and Nolan Ryan Jr. High  is 2,000 students, but currently has 2,067 with a projection of 2,300 by 2015.  It is essential that this school be built because of the shortage of classroom seats and the educational hardship it will place on our kids if we don’t.

What are the facts about the decision to locate Manvel Junior High on McCoy Rd. and what is the traffic impact? Alvin ISD owns land just north of Manvel High School and after a two year search, which included collaboration and input from Manvel city officials, the site was chosen because it has the roads, public water and sewer, utilities, drainage and ground elevation above the flood plain. Roads and utilities are a necessity that is not readily available in all areas of Manvel. Since Alvin ISD owns the property it eliminates the need for additional money to buy new land. The most important reason though - this location is what’s best for kids! 

TxDOT owns and controls the light at the intersection of Hwy. 6 and McCoy Rd. and recently made adjustments to the traffic light’s timing and detection controls  to improve traffic cycles at peak school hours.  A professional traffic study for the school site on McCoy Rd. was commissioned by Alvin ISD to analyze traffic patterns, roadways, and assure that mobility standards are met. It included analyzing Manvel High School’s traffic as well.  The study revealed that peak traffic hours are 7:40 a.m. and 2:50 p.m. Afternoon traffic peak times last from 2:50 dismissal until “all clear” by 3:06, which is pretty quick for a high school with 2,500+ students and staff. It takes almost that long to turn east out of Manvel City Hall at 4:30 p.m.

Start and dismissal times for the new junior high are 8:40 a.m. and 4 p.m. and will occur an hour later than the high school start and dismissal times. With an hour difference in these times, peak traffic times will not stack or overlap.

The study provided recommendations for driveways, turn lanes, and  minor adjustments to public streets to facilitate the traffic on McCoy Rd. All the information in the traffic study was shared with the City Manager and City Engineer of Manvel. TxDOT and the Traffic Engineer concur that traffic management and traffic volumes from the schools on McCoy Rd meet or exceed acceptable guidelines.

The 2013 Citizen’s Advisory Committee and similar groups in 2009 and 2011, as well as the 2013 public survey, support building this junior high in Manvel. I think people should know the facts and be informed.  Distorting the facts only creates confusion.  An educated vote favors the well-being of our kids and community and supports the need to build this new junior high in Manvel.

 

Amy Roudbari