Addison Council directs staff to lower Quorum Drive speed and pursue safety measures; master transportation plan study to follow

Addison City Council members directed staff on May 6 to lower the posted speed on a segment of Quorum Drive and to pursue additional pedestrian and visibility measures while the town’s master transportation plan completes a broader review.

Becky, the town’s director of engineering, presented driver-feedback radar data collected at a southbound sign near Morris Avenue. She reported a median speed of 28 mph for the sample period and said the 85th-percentile speed — the speed at or below which 85% of drivers travel — was 33 mph. Becky noted Federal Highway Administration guidance that recommends engineering countermeasures rather than enforcement alone to reduce speeds and improve safety.

Residents and council members described frequent cut-through traffic, a dense tree canopy that reduces sight lines and concerns about buses and commercial vehicles passing close to sidewalks. Councilmember Howard Free summarized resident feedback and said he believed a 20-mph limit would be best for the segment; other council members favored 25 mph as a pragmatic near-term change.

What the council decided Council members discussed options including: (1) immediate speed-limit reduction for the half-mile segment between Arapahoe Road and Airport Parkway; (2) waiting for the master transportation plan update (expected in August 2025) for a townwide speed review; and (3) implementing engineering countermeasures such as rectangular rapid-flashing beacons, improved crosswalk markings, lane configuration changes (a road-diet), enhanced lighting, and bicycle accommodations.

After discussion the council gave staff direction to reduce the speed limit on the identified Quorum Drive segment to 25 mph now, and to continue studying longer-term roadway configuration and pedestrian-crossing improvements through the master transportation plan and targeted short-term measures. The transcript records the council saying, "We will lower it from 20 to 25 in the area that we just discussed," and staff confirmed they would follow up with signs, possible flashing lights and coordination with DART about bus routing.

Engineering and enforcement considerations - Becky said the single available driver-feedback sign showed a median of 28 mph and that 85% of drivers were traveling at 33 mph or slower during March 2025. She warned that that dataset represents one location (southbound at Morris Avenue) and that the master transportation plan will perform a broader speed-sampling program. - The council and police discussed enforcement tools. The police noted the department conducts traffic stops in the corridor; officers have discretion about when to issue citations versus warnings. Council members urged visible enforcement presence and suggested using marked or unmarked vehicles to alter behavior. - Engineering countermeasures under consideration included improved crosswalk visibility (paint, beacons, flashing stop-sign lighting), lane-striping changes, and targeted raised crossings or intersection treatments; staff noted brick pavers in some crosswalks complicate some pavement treatments and that bicycle traffic and buses must be considered when evaluating raised crossings.

Public input and next steps Councilmember Howard Free circulated a neighborhood survey of roughly 83 responses (unscientific sample) and shared resident comments on speed and buses; staff said they will include public feedback in the master transportation process and will coordinate with DART on bus routing alternatives. The master transportation plan, staff said, is expected in draft form in the coming months with final adoption anticipated in August 2025.

Ending Staff will reduce the posted speed for the specified Quorum Drive segment to 25 mph, pursue short-term visibility and crossing enhancements where feasible, and continue a townwide evaluation of speed and roadway treatments through the master transportation plan. The council requested periodic follow-up to assess whether the near-term changes improve safety.