Council Member Daniela Parsley brought the item up as residents face long wait times to navigate traffic in the area. Council Member Michael Tobias chimed in and said that there has been some relief when Kyle Police Department officers physically direct traffic in the area; though, those resources could be better utilized elsewhere, he added.
Tobias also added that it is a safety hazard as emergency vehicles struggle to get through the traffic.
“Heaven forbid we have something happen at the high school, whether we have some kind of emergency or a situation going on right at that peak time [during] school and after school. We have got to be able to get those emergency vehicles through there,” Tobias said.
City engineer Leon Barba said it would take around 30-45 days to complete the traffic study, at which point it will be determined if the area warrants a traffic signal or not. If so, Stanley Fees with engineering firm Cobb, Fendley & Associates added that it would take an additional two months to complete the signal design for the area.
“Even without a [traffic] study, I can tell you right now that there’s issues there,” Council Member Yvonne Flores-Cale said. “It sounds like, collectively, we want to give those people some relief yesterday.”
City staff are expected to bring back options for council regarding temporary traffic lights. Acting City Manager Jerry Hendrix said that they cost around $11,000 per month to rent or around $150,000 to purchase.
