SAN ANTONIO – For Emily Hutcheson and her young children, biking isn’t just a fun family activity: it’s a way to build community and promote healthy habits.
However, she said she would really love for them to bike to school.
Hutcheson, a parent of a kindergartner and a second grader at Mark Twain Dual Language Academy, is one of many parents supporting the City of San Antonio’s efforts to expand its Safe Routes to School program.
The program, currently in its early stages, aims to make it safer for students and families to walk or bike to school.
“They love biking to school,” Hutcheson said. “But the route’s just not safe, and they didn’t feel comfortable. Even my husband, who’s a confident cyclist, didn’t feel comfortable.”
After attempting to bike to school in spring 2024, Hutcheson reached out to city officials, asking for Mark Twain to be included in a pilot program for the Safe Routes program.
The city’s Transportation Department responded and is now working to secure grant funding that could help launch or expand safety improvements at three San Antonio schools, including Mark Twain.
“We are trying to figure out what we need to bring to those schools to make them safe,” transportation department spokesperson Joe Conger said. “It could be everything from a loose dog issue to a lack of sidewalk connectivity.”
Until then, Hutcheson and other families have organized a monthly “bike bus,” a group ride to school once a month that includes parents and students.
“It’s so fun,” Hutcheson said. “The kids are excited, they ring their bells. We even see turkeys on the route.”
Her second-grader, Henry, agrees.
“You can ride with people that you know,” Henry said.
School officials said the benefits go beyond just safety.
Kamal ElHabr, a special projects coordinator with the San Antonio Independent School District, noted that schools like Mark Twain are located in tight urban spaces where traffic can get congested.
“The more students can walk or bike, the better,” he said.
If the city’s grant application is successful, the funding could bring long-term infrastructure changes, something Hutcheson hopes to see soon.
“Crosswalks, bike lanes, we don’t have any of that,” she said. “I’m really hopeful they can bring in an engineering firm to help make the area around the campus better.”
Beyond safety, Hutcheson believes the simple act of walking or biking to school provides another benefit for children: more time outdoors.
“I think a lot of kids these days don’t get enough time outside,” she said. “I want to make sure mine do.”
The city is now waiting on grant approval, which could happen by October.
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