Los Fresnos News

Students Present to County Court about Narrow Road

by Ronnie Zamora/LFCISD

Five Los Fresnos CISD students made a presentation to the Cameron County Commissioner’s Court Tuesday regarding safety on the narrow two-lane Whipple Road.

The students are enrolled at Los Fresnos CISD elementary and middle schools whose families travel Whipple Road between FM 1847 and FM 1575 frequently. Attending the meeting were:

  • King and Prince Vela, 3rd and 2nd grade, respectively, Los Fresnos Elementary
  • Jimena Aimee Salazar, 1st grade, Lopez-Riggins Elementary
  • Brenda Delgado, 6th grade, Liberty Memorial Middle School
  • Jeremiah Alba, 8th grade, Resaca Middle School

They posted photos and information on a project display board to show the Court that Whipple Road – a road heavily traveled by district students, parents and staff – is narrow and can be dangerous. Los Fresnos CISD school buses also use Whipple Road on a daily basis.

Los Elementary School principal Veronica Grimaldo accompanied the students. Also present at the meeting was Mark Milum, Los Fresnos City Manager.

Cameron Precinct 3 Commissioner David Garza, whose precinct includes many schools in Los Fresnos CISD, addressed the Court.

“Last week, I had a visit to my office from children in Los Fresnos who wanted to present me a poster about a bus crossing a particular road in our county,” Garza told the Court. “They had a great visual display. The parents came in and took it upon themselves to gather signatures from everyone who lives in the area. They gathered 100 signatures.”

Whipple Road is a heavily traveled road that runs east and west about one-half mile north of Texas Highway 100. The section of the road heavily traveled by parents and school buses between FM 1847 and FM 1575 is narrow. The road also crosses Resaca de los Cuates. They told me about crossing Whipple Road which is very narrow and crosses a resaca. They feel a little apprehensive about crossing the (resaca on the) road.”

Milum told the Court that the City of Los Fresnos sees “the need for Whipple Road to be expanded and widened and with a shoulder. That’s the goal and that’s the intent.”

Cameron County Judge Eddie Treviño asked the five students to introduce themselves at the lectern, and the younger ones were bashful upon doing so.

The section of Whipple Road from Evergreen Street to FM 1847 is within the Los Fresnos City Limits and is under the jurisdiction of the City of Los Fresnos. The section from Evergreen to FM 1575 is under the jurisdiction of Cameron County.

“It’s a two-phase project,” said Pete Sepulveda. “We need to make the road safer. The earliest that we could have the project under construction is 18 months.,” Sepulveda said. Garza said that a temporary safety measure is expected to be installed within two months.

Funding for the expansion of Whipple Road has not been secured yet, but Sepulveda told the Commissioner’s Court about another project that has been funded and will help Los Fresnos CISD parents, staff and school buses.

Sepulveda said that construction on the paving of Old Alice Road south from Texas Highway 100 to Sports Park Boulevard is expected to begin in 2020.

Currently, the stretch of Old Alice Road – which becomes FM 1575 north of Texas Highway 100 – is not paved from FM 511 to Texas Highway 100. Paving of the road will allow a smoother flow of traffic within the school district and will eventually allow school buses to use Old Alice Road as well.