Kids, parents, and families are getting ready to trade in those beach towels for books as a new school year begins this Thursday, August 13 for Hays CISD students and on Monday, August 17 for students at the Kyle IDEA campus.
The start of the school year means busier roads, more activity around campuses and increased congestion. We encourage everyone to pack their patience, give themselves plenty of time to get where they need to go, and keep their eyes peeled for pedestrians and bicyclists of all shapes and sizes.
Here’s a few safety reminders for walkers, bikers, and drivers from the Kyle Police Department:
- Stop for School Buses – Vehicles in all directions must stop when a school bus has its stop sign extended unless you’re on a major roadway divided by a physical barrier.
- Use Crosswalks and Sidewalks when Available – Always make eye contact with drivers before crossing to ensure they see you and stay alert when walking.
- Follow the Crossing Guards Instructions – Crossing Guards are trained to keep you safe. They know the best crossing paths and what to look out for in busy areas, so make sure they give you the go-ahead before crossing the street.
- Eliminate Distractions and Obey Traffic Signs – Drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians should put away phones and other distractions.
- Use your school’s designated drop-off and pick-up zones – Avoid stopping in the middle of the street to drop off or pick up your students as it creates confusion and increases the risk of accidents.
As we all get settled into the new pace of things, expect to see KPD Officers out and about over the next few days, providing additional patrols in school zones to monitor speed limits, crosswalk safety, and address any traffic concerns.
Finally, we want to note that traffic congestion does tend to be the most severe during the first few weeks of the school year. Many parents choose to personally drop-off or pick-up their students, contributing to an increased volume of vehicles in town. This tends to settle down as classes progress and other methods of transportation become more common.
While congestion and traffic occur at nearly all campuses within Kyle, two schools, Lehman High School and IDEA Kyle, have consistently presented more significant challenges.
In response, we’ve had multiple collaborative discussions with school representatives to address these issues and have made progress through enhanced traffic flow patterns, improved queuing systems, new parking zone designations, and other strategic traffic management measures.
One such measure, starting September 1, 2026, is expanded on-street parking restrictions that will be enforced by KPD in neighborhoods surrounding Lehman High School.
Under the new ordinance, parking will now be restricted Monday through Friday during school days from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. September 1, 2026 to May 31, 2026 on the following streets:
- The south side of Brutus Drive between Brandi Circle and Lehman Road
- The west side of Lake Washington Drive between Town Lake Bend and Mansfield Lake Trail
- The west side of Loon Lake Drive between Town Lake Bend and Mansfield Trail
For more information on these changes, read our previous story: ‘New Parking Restrictions Near Lehman High School‘
We look forward to another great school year and thank everyone for putting safety first!
