Transportation officials promise action to address dangers of Dallas’ Loop 12 – NBC 5 Dallas-Fort Worth

For months NBC 5 is investigating has revealed the shocking number of traffic deaths and injuries on Loop 12 in south Dallas. On Thursday evening, the community’s top transportation officials met at a town hall meeting organized by Dallas state Sen. Royce West, D-Dallas, and pledged action to address the problems.

Neighbors like Anthony Peterson, who lives near the roadway, asked what could be done to stop the constant stream of speeding cars and traffic fatalities on Loop 12.

“I expect you to solve this problem. They are the experts. You make the final decision. You make big money,” Peterson said.

In February the ongoing one NBC 5 is investigating The series “Driven to Death” revealed that at least 105 people were killed and 479 seriously injured on Loop 12 in just five years.

Safety experts told NBC 5 that the road, which was built as a highway in the 1950s, encouraged high speeds and was not designed for the pedestrians who use it today.

“It’s the road planners who really failed in the beginning. And I would say it’s still a failure that it hasn’t been fixed yet, because this street seems to have been here for decades,” city planner David Zipper said in an interview that was part of the February report.

Near Loop 12 and Bonnie View Road, we found five pedestrians were killed in just 11 months, less than a mile from the road.

Arthur Fleming’s sister was one of them.

“My question is: Who will be held accountable for these lives?” Fleming asked as he addressed officials at Thursday night’s meeting.

Officials from TxDOT, the city of Dallas and the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) promised to make short- and long-term changes.

“We make a personal commitment to our commitment to this corridor and our institutions to help solve this problem.” We are asking the community to help us dig into the details and the science,” said Michael Morris, NCTCOG transportation director.

Officials said they would install new traffic signals and crosswalks and possibly mid-block signals to slow or stop traffic and provide safer crossing areas for pedestrians.

“We have a lot of bus stops along the corridor and not all of them are near a crosswalk,” said Ceason Clemens, district engineer for TxDOT’s Dallas District.

In previous reports NBC 5 is investigating showed how people constantly cross Loop 12 in the middle of the road, often in places where there is no crosswalk nearby.

Officials promised to build new traffic lights in 12 to 18 months and said they would develop a long-term plan to transform the Loop into a city street rather than a highway.

“The first thing I think you’re going to see is this laser focus on traffic signals, crosswalks and the lighting of those particular crosswalks,” Morris said.

West then organized the meeting NBC 5 is investigating asked him about the Loop earlier this year. He promised to hold agencies accountable now for implementing the promised changes.

“The more parts of the city age, the more streets age. We’re going to have this problem,” West said.

It’s an issue that’s now drawing particular attention in a district where some felt their concerns weren’t being heard.

City and state officials also promised to work with DART to move bus stops closer to crosswalks.

Road planners said they hope to provide progress updates every three months.