Local concerned about school bus stop traffic

PORTALES — City officials are monitoring a Portales school bus stop, based on claims that traffic in the area poses a danger to children.

Portales resident Kellie Court said she has seen children nearly hit by oncoming traffic as they attempt to cross West University Drive to reach the bus stop near the Alta Terra subdivision.

Court said she has been waiting with her children at the bus stop for two years, and sees children “almost die” on a weekly basis.

“There’s constant traffic,” she said. “... There was a child this (Tuesday) morning. He was trying to cross the street, and somebody pulled out of the neighborhood and took a left. And when they did that, they pulled right past the bus, (which) had its lights on, and the kid had to stop so that he wasn’t hit.”

She recalled another incident in which a high school student had to shove her brother out of the way “because a truck came barreling in and almost hit (him).”

According to Court, she has been in contact with the Portales Police Department and the city for almost two years with no solution to show for it.

“It’s just become a fight that I’m not being listened to, and I’m sick of it,” she said. “What’s going to happen ... is a child is going to be hit and killed, and the blood is going to be on the hands of everybody who’s ignored me,” she said.

City Manager Sammy Standefer said he recently spoke with Court and met with officials from Portales police and Portales Municipal Schools.

Standefer said he watched traffic at the bus stop on Tuesday and other officials will also be monitoring the bus stop and evaluating potential solutions.

“We’re gonna study it ... and see if we can come up with a good, viable solution,” he said.

Standefer said he hopes to have a plan by the end of the week.

Court has some ideas of her own, including a marked police cruiser near the bus stop to encourage drivers to slow down, and a crosswalk for the children.

“I want something done,” she said.