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Council authorizes rental of mobile vehicle barriers for 2025 event season
Summary
The council authorized a contract to rent Meridian Rapid Defense mobile vehicle barriers for Taste Addison, Kaboom Town and Oktoberfest to protect event perimeters; total rental cost for the 2025 season not to exceed $122,430.
The council approved a resolution on April 8 authorizing the town manager to execute a rental agreement with Meridian Rapid Defense Group Rentals LLC to provide mobile vehicle‑barrier systems for the town’s 2025 special‑event season.
Police Chief Chris Friess explained the decision followed a review of vehicle‑attack incidents nationwide and a 2024 trial deployment at Addison events. Friess told the council that conventional wooden or steel traffic barriers serve mainly as visible deterrents but do not provide a robust defense against vehicle‑borne threats and can be moved, creating egress complications. He said the Meridian mobile barrier offers a tested physical mitigation that still permits pedestrian access (4‑foot openings between barrier units) while allowing staff to open vehicle gates at load‑in points.
The planned deployment footprint covers primary event approaches: Festival Way, Addison Circle, Quorum Drive and the theater parking lot, with additional gates at vendor load‑in points. Chief Friess said the footprint for Kaboom Town will be larger (to include Wheeler Bridge and Lindbergh Drive) and noted the barriers are heavy and moved with a dedicated dolly; staff will plan for load‑in/load‑out and staffing needs to operate rapid gates.
The rental summary in the presentation included: 75 barriers and 3 gates for the three‑day Taste Addison rental; 99 barriers and 5 gates for Kaboom Town (one day); and a similar footprint for Oktoberfest—bringing a 2025 season rental total not to exceed $122,430. Chief Friess said the town had considered purchase but cited storage and maintenance concerns, and the town will evaluate permanent mitigation as the Addison Circle vision plan develops.
Council members supported the safety‑driven purchase and rental approach; the council approved the rental agreement on a motion and second and a recorded unanimous voice vote in the meeting transcript.
