Greg Scott, bike/pedestrian and ADA coordinator for Denton Transportation Services, presented the committee with an overview of traffic calming and speed management, arguing that design changes are more effective and durable than enforcement or signage alone.

Scott described traffic calming as a package of design elements that communicate lower speeds to drivers and create a safer environment for pedestrians and bicyclists. "Calming puts…low consequence risk in the right of way to reflect the inherent risks that actually are there," Scott said, adding that modest reductions in speed compress the range of vehicle speeds and reduce crash severity.

Scott cited crash-modification factors and federal guidance that support the effectiveness of engineering treatments and urged the city to commit to a policy and procedural shift: "If we are going to embrace this, we'll have to be leaders as a city," he said. He warned that change requires organizational adjustments and public trust because calming adds minor roadway elements (curb bumps, lane narrowing, speed cushions) that some residents initially resist.

Committee members largely supported the approach. Councilor Holland said she was "really excited" to see long-term measures rather than fleeting enforcement, and asked whether the city would review the Transportation Criteria Manual to reconsider lane widths and collector-design standards so new streets do not encourage speeding. Deputy Director Farhan (Transportation Services) said a first round of standards updates for the Transportation Criteria Manual is forthcoming in the next one to two months and that a more in-depth standards update will follow with input from other departments, including fire and police.

Committee members also requested future work on the economic effects of street design on local businesses, and additional material on low-cost paint-and-striping approaches and temporary lane-divider technologies for near-term interventions. Staff said the next presentation would include implementable recommendations and an action plan for traffic calming projects.

No formal vote was taken; staff will return with specific implementation recommendations and coordination plans.