MANVEL, Texas — An 11-year-old Alvin ISD student told her mom it's her dream to ride a bicycle to school. That student is demanding change to protect her classmates and students in a growing Manvel community.
In Brazoria County, the Manvel Junior High School student and her mom are worried about students who may have to walk home along Highway 6 and nearby streets. They say the shoulder or walking on the grass is not enough.
Abriella Calvillo came prepared to the Manvel City Council meeting last Monday.
“Every day I see students risking their life, dodging cars going home and that’s not a quick dash, my friends have to walk 40 minutes on uneven grass to their houses,” Calvillo, 11, told the council.
Looking back, she said she wasn’t afraid to speak her mind.
“I wasn’t really nervous because I was determined to get sidewalks and I really hope my words and a bit of push of encouragement will help them install sidewalks,” Calvillo said.
Abby’s mom watched proudly from the dais.
“She had been bringing it up, and I said, ‘Hey, if you want to make a difference, you can speak, and encourage others to speak.’ And when she did, we were surprised to see her there,” Councilmember Crystal Sarmiento, Abby’s mother, said.
Sarmiento has only been in office since May but said this is a top priority.
Highway 6 has posted speeds up to 60 miles per hour outside of the school zones. The six-lane highway was there long before Manvel High School.
KHOU reached out to TxDOT, who said it hasn’t received any request to build sidewalks in the past, but said it will be glad to meet with the city and or the ISD to initiate the conversation. A full statement from TxDOT is as follows: "TxDOT strives to deliver high quality, multimodal, transportation with the aim of creating a better and safer travel experience to all commuters in the region. The TxDOT Brazoria Area Office values our partnerships with local entities to understand and deliver the right mobility solutions to move both people and goods. We look forward to working with the local entities to improve mobility for pedestrians along SH 6."
A spokesperson for TxDOT said it would be glad to meet with the city or ISD if there is a particular area of need that must be addressed.
A City of Manvel spokesperson sent KHOU a statement, saying in part: "During the discussion, it was noted that the City intends to update its Master Thoroughfare Plan in the coming year, where sidewalks should be of a particular focus."
Sarmiento said she would be willing to meet with stakeholders to come up with a solution.
“Anytime we can collaborate and come together with the proper officials and have the right answers and the right plan of action, will help us definitely. Hopefully [we] do this for the students and the safety of our kids,” Sarmiento said.
Calvillo may be the one starting a possible change at her school.
“It’s very dangerous and I would hate to see someone get hurt here because we don’t have sidewalks,” Calvillo said.
Alvin ISD sent KHOU the following statement.
"While the district does not have any knowledge of a student bringing this concern forward, the sidewalks currently in place were constructed to provide safe paths to and from the campuses. The district offers bus transportation to ensure the safety of our students if a safe pedestrian path is not available. The current sidewalks were built along with the construction of each campus, as they were approved and permitted.
"We are aware of the City of Manvel's desire to enhance pedestrian safety in the community, and as a district, we support their efforts. However, any future adjustments to the sidewalks would require collaboration between the district and the City, as the sidewalks are located within established right of ways controlled by the city or state.
"As the area continues to develop, we anticipate that pedestrian pathways will evolve to meet the needs of the community. However, there are no specific plans at this time."