Following the City Council’s direction for the city manager to evaluate options and provide recommendations, council received an update on proposed traffic safety improvements at the intersection of Dacy Lane and Downing Way during its April 15 meeting.
The big picture
The intersection has seen 21 crashes over the past five years, according to the city’s presentation, with six occurring in 2024 alone.
“We can’t have this kind of situation,” council member Miguel Zuniga said. “Unfortunately, it’s really not acceptable. Unfortunately, when I look at it, it does make me mad. ... Just 21 accidents in five years, six of them last year—that should have raised up the priority in my opinion.”
Mike Trimble, Kyle’s director of transportation and public works, said many collisions happen when a driver turns left from the T-intersection while another vehicle turns right into the same side street at the same time, creating a conflict.
The Kyle Police Department echoed this in a staff memo, stating that turning movements are a key factor in the accidents.
Council member Michael Tobias directed staff to evaluate improvements after receiving resident complaints and personally witnessing a serious crash at the intersection.
“I have a fear—and I don’t want this to happen—I don’t want to have a fatality there,” Tobias said. “That last accident ... it was very, very bad. The truck was split in half. It’s right at the intersection where people are pulling into their homes, and you’ve got kids walking home.”
Staff presented several short- and long-term improvement options, including:
- Monitoring the effectiveness of current safety measures
- Sharing speed data with the Kyle Police Department for targeted enforcement
- Proceeding with temporary traffic signal installation
- Conducting a follow-up study with updated data
- Ensuring improvements align with the upcoming Transportation Master Plan update
To date, the city has installed intersection warning signs and a vehicle speed feedback sign, according to the City Council presentation. Other signs were relocated or removed to better fit current conditions. The feedback sign can also transmit speed data to KPD to inform enforcement decisions.
Taking a step back
A preliminary engineering report submitted to the city in July 2023 used 2022 traffic data to examine several safety options, including an all-way stop, traffic signals, or a roundabout. At the time, however, the intersection did not meet the warrants for those improvements, according to a staff memo.
An in-house warrant analysis conducted this year determined that the intersection now qualifies for a traffic signal due to increased volume and conflicts.
What’s next?
In May, the city plans to relocate a temporary traffic signal from the intersection of Kohler Crossing and Kyle Crossing, where permanent signals have since been installed, to the Dacy and Downing intersection, according to the City Council presentation. Pavement markings and signage will also be updated to match the signal.
The intersection, along with the broader Dacy Lane corridor, will be included in the city’s Transportation Master Plan update, which aims to guide long-term improvements to safety and mobility in the area.
Trimble also said he hopes to establish a safety program to proactively identify high-crash intersections throughout the city and analyze where improvements can be made.
