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Collin County officials report 17.74% rise in traffic fatalities; regional transit subcommittee to seek unified system
Summary
At Commissioners Court, Commissioner Webb reported a 17.74% increase in Collin County traffic fatalities for 2024 and described a new subcommittee working to craft a unified, equitable transit policy for the DFW metroplex.
Commissioner Webb told the Collin County Commissioners Court that the county recorded a 17.74% increase in traffic fatalities in 2024 and that regional transit leaders have begun drafting a policy to better coordinate transit across the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex.
Webb said the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) report showed Collin County was the only one of the four major urban counties in the DFW region with an increase. “Because of the 4 major urban counties in the DFW region, we're the only 1 that is going up, and we went up substantially,” Webb said during the court’s general discussion.
The nut of Webb’s presentation was twofold: safety and regional transit coordination. He told the court the fatality increase “should give us a little bit of cause for concern,” and that Collin County staff will seek more detailed data — by location and intersection — to determine whether population growth, concentration of roadwork and construction, or other factors are contributing.
Webb said he plans to work with the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) on roadway design and other traffic-safety measures. He also described a first subcommittee meeting convened to develop policies that could encourage the three transit agencies in the region to provide more equitable, marketable services to both member and nonmember cities. The subcommittee will meet about twice a month for at least a year to draft proposals the RTC can adopt or present to the agencies.
On transit funding and governance, Webb said the subcommittee aims to create incentives for cities to participate in integrated services rather than using regulatory compulsion. He noted discussions around micro-transit paid from local maintenance-and-operations funds, the potential for withdrawal elections in 2026 for some large cities if restructuring fails, and long-term demographic pressure: “we're projected to double in size. The metroplex will be within, in the next 30 years, will be at effectively 16,000,000 people,” Webb said.
Other commissioners asked Webb to compare the fatality increase with population growth and construction activity; Webb said he would request more granular data from the RTC and TxDOT to help clarify causes. He also referenced prior work called Transit 2, a yearlong study by outside experts the RTC commissioned to identify short- and long-term recommendations.
Court members did not take formal action on the RTC report; the item was presented as an update and the court directed staff to seek additional data and coordinate with TxDOT and regional partners.
Next steps: Webb said staff will request detailed fatality-location data and continue the subcommittee’s drafting work, with further updates expected at future Commissioners Court meetings.
