What can the City’s Department of Transportation do for us?
Updated: 9 hours ago
Every year we meet with the City of Dallas Department of Transportation in order to be the squeaky wheel and ensure that the pedestrian safety projects needed in the Bachman area are not forgotten. At our meeting this past month, we were joined by Councilman Omar Narvaez. Here are our notes from the meeting:
Webb Chapel Bridge Pedestrian Safety:
Webb Chapel Bridge is part of the Bachman Lake Trail and the sidewalk is only 4 to 5ft wide. Pedestrians using the trail must walk on the road. The Lemmon Ave trail will be completed this summer and it terminates at the Webb Chapel bridge. Aviation did not fund a signal light at the intersection of Webb Chapel and Shorecrest, so there will be increased risk to pedestrians. In addition, Sanitation trucks constantly traverse this bridge and it create a serious safety issue. We have asked many times for help in getting this traffic moved.
Due to changes in city management, projects in Transportation have been delayed.
Transportation states that there is a study being conducted on Webb Chapel that will inform the alignment of a protected pedestrian lane. The study should be done in the next two months.
Transportation states that a reconstruction of Shorecrest road is pending Dallas County funding, starting in 2027.
Tim Dickey, Park Board Member for District 6, stated that this the Webb Chapel bridge pedestrian safety measure needs to be a priority.
Because of the expected increase of pedestrian and cycling activity with the new trail connections, FoBL requests that a temporary protected lane on the bridge be implemented until the final remedy and signal light is put in place.
Councilman Narvaez confirms that we are getting a barrier on the bridge and that Transportation will come back to us and share with stakeholders what the recommendations are as soon as the study is done.
FoBL again raises the safety concerns about the usage of Webb Chapel Bridge by Sanitation and asks that this traffic be redirected to Northwest Hwy, as it used to be. Councilman Omar agreed to take the lead and will direct his office to contact Sanitation on this request.
Webb Chapel Ext / Denton Drive / Bachman Dart Station:
Safe pedestrian access is needed from the DART station to the new regional skate park at Bachman Lake Park. Kids and families would have to cross about 12 lanes of traffic to get to the skate park from the DART station.
Councilman Narvaez and Transportation will follow up on previously submitted service requests for an update on the progress/plans to address this issue.
FoBL asked if Transportation could implement a diagonal crossing but they state that people get confused with these.
NW Highway Safe Crossings:
Three locations were requested for pedestrian crossings and Service Request (SR) numbers were submitted thanks to Councilman Narvaez’s office. They are:
• 24-00441446 - Traffic signal NW Highway and Ovella
• 24-00441370 - Traffic signal NW Highway and Timberline Dr
• 24-00441405 - Traffic signal NW Highway and Thornberry
Transportation states that a Request for Proposal (RFP) is out for crossing design consultants and would like to make a selection by March. Transportation will look at the SRs and provide an update. FoBL would like to know if these three signals are on the list for the consultants to work on.
FoBL states that of the three locations, Timberline is probably the most critical.
Councilman Narvaez sets expectations that signal crossings can take from 1-3 years from beginning to implementation.
The NW Highway Safe Crossings has bond and Major Capital Improvement Program (MCIP) funding.
Denton Dr Complete Street and Trinity Strand Trail Connection:
FoBL asked about the bond and project timelines. Councilman Narvaez said that everything has been distributed in the one to seven year timeframe and that there is a website with this information. He says that his office can provide the District 6 relevant items.
Tim Dickey let the group know that in a recent Park Board meeting with The Loop, he asked why there is not more focus on getting a connection from the Trinity Strand Trail to Bachman.
Jared White spoke to the challenge of creating a connection to Bachman from the Inwood Dart Station via Denton Drive. There is no road capacity for this. There will be bike lanes along Maple Ave to Mockingbird.
FoBL reminded the team that there used to be an effort on the part of Aviation to create a Love Field Loop Trail. The status of the west side of this trail along Denton Drive is unknown. Councilman Narvaez will follow up with Aviation Director Carreno on the status.
Lovers Lane Corridor Study:
Hopefully listening sessions will be happening by summer. Once there is a general consensus on design, they will go to the design phase.
Harry Hines Corridor Study:
No updates in a couple years. Transportation to follow up with North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) about updates (or have them participate in the next meeting).