Farhan (deputy director, Transportation Services Division) presented a comprehensive road safety and traffic operations audit of US 380 and Malone Street at the April 30 Mobility Committee meeting and outlined a suite of short-, mid- and long-term recommendations.

Farhan said the study combined field observations, crash data from the Texas CRIS database and traffic operations analysis. He cautioned that crash factors are complex but said the CRIS attribution shows speeding listed as a factor in 34 crashes in the study period. “When we say 34 crashes were attributed to speeding, this is a recorded factor that was observed,” he said, and added that underlying causalities could differ.

The audit’s primary findings included sidewalk gaps on the north side of Malone, obstructed pedestrian signage near some crossings, faded crosswalk markings, and observed 85th-percentile speeds of roughly 42 mph eastbound and 46 mph westbound on a posted 40 mph segment. The draft report recorded no fatalities or serious-injury crashes in the study area for the 2022–2024 CRIS data window, though committee members noted crashes outside that window and anecdotal serious crashes reported by residents.

City traffic engineer Chandra reviewed recommended near-term actions: restriping high-visibility crosswalks, replacing or repositioning blocked pedestrian signage, adding ADA curb ramps where crosswalks are proposed, and adjusting signal timing to improve pedestrian crossing times. Chandra said the cost estimates in the report list treatments at intersection scale (for example, high-visibility treatments and minor curb work) and that some items — ADA ramps and sidewalk construction — require more time and funding.

Midterm measures include targeted sidewalk construction in the North Lakes neighborhood tied to Parks Department projects (staff said parks improvements are planned for 2026) and spot roadway geometry changes such as removing free right-turn lanes and adding protected bike facilities where feasible. Long-term options would tie into any future reconstruction of US 380, where the city could recommend narrower travel lanes, separated bike lanes and a posted speed of 35 mph if and when the roadway is rebuilt; those actions are expected over a 5–15 year horizon depending on TechStart and regional priorities.

Enforcement and funding: staff recommended working with the police department to run targeted enforcement at identified high-speed times rather than continuous deployment, noting Texas law requires an officer on site for speed enforcement (red-light cameras are not in use statewide). Farhan said the city applied for Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) funds for US 380 but the application was not approved in the current cycle; staff plan to pursue other funding and reapply in the next HSIP cycle.

Committee members raised neighborhood concerns about driver behavior, the effect of wide lanes and free-right turns on risky turning, and the need to coordinate traffic-calming measures with fire and emergency services. Staff said certain traffic-calming elements (speed cushions, raised crosswalks) are evaluated case by case because of emergency-response impacts and cost.

Why it matters: the corridor includes schools, parks and mixed uses; sidewalk gaps and speed issues affect pedestrians, bicyclists and vulnerable road users. The audit provides specific, actionable near-term fixes while linking larger improvements to longer-range projects and funding.

What’s next: staff will pursue targeted sign and striping work, coordinate ADA ramp construction where required, work with Parks on sidewalk linkages planned for 2026, continue enforcement coordination with the police department and pursue alternative grant funding after the recent HSIP denial.