BROWNSVILLE – Traffic concerns near Rio Grande Valley schools always arise at the beginning of the school year.

For Brownsville resident Eddie Pedron, a newly opened school poses a bigger concern than just the traffic. He is worried about the road conditions around the school.

"This road was built to handle a car or two going back and forth. It was never meant to be utilized as a major artery, which it has now become because of all the urbanization that has developed around there" said Pedron, who's lived near Dana Avenue for almost 20 years.

Pedron said he’s worried that the Harmony School of Innovations new opening will cause some major traffic backups as well as safety concerns for students.

"From the edge of the street, you have seven feet before you have a ten-foot drop. And there is no guard rails to keep a car from going over,” he said.

He said Dana Avenue is no stranger to accidents.

"In the years past, we have had about two or three fatalities here,” he said.

 A fatality was also reported in 2011 when a speeder fell into the canal.

CHANNEL 5 NEWS reached out to Brownsville Traffic Supervisor Robert Esparza. He said the canal across the street from the school is a major concern of theirs too.

Esparza stated a crew will go out there to look at the road to set up safety features. He said the safety features are to make sure students and parents are safe while picking up and dropping off their children.

The Harmony School of Innovation also told CHANNEL 5 NEWS they are working to fix the traffic problem by staggering their student drop-off and pick-up times.