It’s hard not to notice the heavy metal barrels, flashing yellow signs, and gigantic construction trucks that line the entrance to McNeil High School. Unfortunately, the posted signs might as well warn not only of safety but also alert the public of the seemingly hour-long traffic lines from the increased traffic of the back-to-school season. Busses are late, crowded with kids sitting three-to-a-seat, and the lines of cars just make everything worse. Teachers were even warned to give their students leeway time to get to their first and fifth periods because of the ongoing traffic.

“I modified attendance the first week,” health science teacher Aylisa Bucko said. “I knew there was a lot of traffic going on. I didn’t start counting tardies until the second week.”

Fortunately, careful measures are being taken to prevent future conflicts on the road.

“We have had a couple of bumps these first two weeks, but mostly everything has gone very well,” senior administrative associate Debi Casso said. “Currently all the major changes in traffic flow have been made, and everything is better with the help of Travis County sheriffs directing the traffic.”

Construction is scheduled to end on November 1.

Now that teachers and students alike are notified and aware of the congestion, seniors are allowed off campus for lunch. The lunchroom was considerably less crowded the second week of school, and lines were just lengthy instead of seemingly endless.

“Since C lunch has mostly juniors and seniors, it was really crowded the first week of school,” junior Chiara Lin said. “But now that seniors are let off campus, it’s a little better. It looks more like the length of what a normal school lunch line is.”