Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Blue Mound Road Study topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Study: Blue Mound Road likely needs 3‑lane or 4‑lane upgrades as development and new schools increase traffic
Summary
Traffic engineering presented a Blue Mound Road study showing large projected traffic increases by 2033 from background growth, existing plats and possible new schools; consultants recommended beginning with a three‑lane cross section in constrained areas but flagged intersections that will require signals and turn‑lane additions.
Consultants who prepared a Blue Mound Road study told the Haslet City Council on Sept. 17 that background growth and proposed development in and near Haslet will roughly double or more peak‑hour volumes on parts of Blue Mound Road by a 2033 build‑out scenario, and that intersection and corridor improvements should be prioritized now.
Hetal (Huddl) from Lee Engineering presented the study’s approach: existing 24‑hour counts (December 2024), a background growth rate of 2% per year, and added trips from plated and potential vacant parcels within the study area. The study projected that by 2033, peak‑hour volumes on some links could rise by roughly 200% (AM peak) and up to about 235% (PM peak) under one scenario that included only plated sites; including additional vacant parcels increased the PM growth to as much as 285% in some links.
The analysis considered two cross‑section alternatives that both fit in the city’s 100–110‑foot right‑of‑way: a 4‑lane divided thoroughfare and a 3‑lane section (one travel lane each way plus a two‑way left‑turn lane). Lee Engineering recommended that, given existing conditions and near‑term development, the city consider a three‑lane cross section as an initial, lower‑impact option east of FM 156 and reserve a four‑lane divided configuration where regional connectivity is the goal.
The study also identified specific intersection improvements now recommended or likely needed: signalization at John Day Road/Blue Mound, intersection reconfiguration at Harmon/Blue Mound tied to a planned warehouse plat, auxiliary turn lanes at several intersections, and signal warrant studies for Maxwell Road and the Intermodal Parkway crossing. Consultants noted that new school sites and Fort Worth‑platted developments near Haslet (which are outside the city’s land‑use jurisdiction) will substantially affect traffic patterns and should be accounted for as school boundaries and timings are finalized.
Why this matters: projected traffic growth and nearby school development will increase congestion and safety risks on a corridor many residents use daily. The study provides a menu of near‑term intersection fixes and longer‑term corridor choices for council consideration.
Next steps: council and staff will use the study to prioritize intersections for short‑term improvements, pursue regional partnerships and developer cost participation for specific upgrades, and update signal‑timing coordination along FM 156 and other corridors.
