Education
Transportation
BY EMILY LINCKE
BY HANNAH BROL
New Caney ISD sees drop in bus route times New Caney ISD bus route times have been cut almost in half for some schools, thanks to the district’s SMART tag ID system, transportation officials announced Sept. 15. What’s happening? On Sept. 10, NCISD buses transported the most students they ever have—10,314 students, which is about half of the district’s total enrollment—said Danny Mealer, NCISD’s assistant director of trans- portation, during the Sept. 15 board meeting. Even with the growing number of riders, on average, bus routes have been reduced by 35 minutes for elementary schools, 30 minutes for middle schools and 20 minutes for high schools. The verdict The faster bus route times are due to the district’s requirement that all students who ride
NCISD now requiring health consent forms Following the passage of Senate Bill 12 by the 89th Texas Legislature, parents must now be notified of all health services provided to students at school, including in
NCISD average bus route times Before 2025-26 2025-26
Ongoing projects
1485
1 FM 1485 rehabilitation Project: A roughly 7-mile segment of FM 1485 is being rehabilitated between Old Houston and Kidd Cemetery roads. Project contractor Vulcan Materials Asphalt and Construction will repair the road base, add new asphalt overlay and restripe the road segment. Update: Work is 81% complete as of an Oct. 10 report from the Texas Department of Transportation. • Timeline: second quarter 2025-second quarter 2026 • Cost: $8.83 million • Funding sources: 80% federal, 20% TxDOT 2 Hwy. 242 drainage Project: Detention ponds are being constructed along Hwy. 242 between Needham Road and Hwy. 59. The contractor is R Construction Civil LLC, and the project aims to improve drainage along the corridor. Update: Work is 72% complete as of an Oct. 10 report from TxDOT. • Timeline: August 2024-second quarter 2027 • Cost: $8.2 million • Funding source: 100% TxDOT 3 FM 1314 rehabilitation Project: A roughly 2-mile segment of FM 1314 is being
-43.75% -40% -33.33%
3083
Woodloch
NEEDHAM RD.
Patton Village
2
New Caney ISD. The local impact
MCQUEEN RD.
242
1
3
Elementary schools
Middle schools
High schools
1485
OLD HOUSTON RD.
According to a NCISD news release, for a student to receive health services during the school day, parents must now sign a consent form annually. If a parent opts to decline school health services or not return a health consent form, their child will not receive routine medical services while on campus and may need to be picked up from school to receive care for illness or minor injuries off campus. However, students will be administered emergency medical care as allowed by law.
SOURCE: NEW CANEY ISD/COMMUNITY IMPACT
59
KIDD CEMETERY RD.
buses home from school use a SMART tag ID, which began Sept. 2, Mealer said. “As they scan their badge, it populates who [stu- dents] are, what seat they sit in, and it just keeps it flowing,” Mealer said. “I’ve heard really great things from all the elementary campuses the most, because they’re the ones that unfortunately would take the [brunt] of all of our buses being so late.” The tags are paired to an app that allows parents and guardians to receive bus ride updates.
1314
Porter Heights
New Caney
MAP NOT TO SCALE N
• Timeline: first quarter 2025-fourth quarter 2028 • Cost: $31.36 million • Funding sources: 80% federal, 20% TxDOT
rehabilitated between Hwy. 242 and north of McQueen Road. The contractor is R Construction Civil LLC. Update: Work is 43% complete as of an Oct. 10 report from TxDOT.
PORTER 23611 Hwy 59 (281) 354-0733
HUMBLE 19322 US-59 (281) 540-7202
KINGWOOD 1420 Kingwood Dr (281) 359-7115
Powered by FlippingBook