Residents raise safety and outreach concerns about proposed Alderete Middle School site

Whitley, a Cimarron Canyon resident, told the Canutillo ISD Board of Trustees on Dec. 16 that neighbors rely on one main intersection for ingress and egress and that proposed student pickup and drop-off near that intersection creates safety and emergency-access concerns.

“Traffic congestion, emergency vehicle access, and school hour backups are not hypothetical concerns for us. They are daily realities,” she said, urging the board to confirm whether traffic studies account for a single-exit neighborhood and future growth.

Gustavo Mendoza, speaking on behalf of many Cimarron residents, said most people first learned of the new middle school from an outdoor billboard and that district notices posted only to CISD web and social pages left large parts of the community uninformed. Mendoza said the board or administration had provided inconsistent information about primary ingress and egress plans and asked three concrete actions: districtwide, accessible communication about the project; public release of the traffic study; and a clear explanation of proposed entrance and exit routes, including whether a new traffic signal is planned.

Mendoza also cited an email from Ernesto Ortiz indicating the site would accommodate up to eight school buses and 83 vehicles, and questioned whether that capacity aligns with a middle school expected to serve more than 500 students daily. Both public commenters asked the district to provide the traffic study and outreach materials so residents could evaluate safety and circulation plans before construction proceeds.

District staff did not make a final decision on the site at the meeting. Trustees acknowledged the concerns and requested written clarifications and supporting documents be provided in upcoming board materials, with staff promising to include follow-ups in the Thursday packet and future reports.