Texarkana approves ordinance establishing street safety zones at signalized intersections

The Texarkana City Council on Oct. 13 adopted an ordinance amending Chapter 26 (Motor Vehicles and Traffic) to establish street safety zones at signalized intersections.

The ordinance, read into the record as Order No. 2025-132, passed after a public hearing and a single motion. Council member Davis moved for approval; Council member Thompson seconded, and the mayor called for the ayes. The motion carried.

Council and staff described the ordinance as a traffic-safety measure focused on signalized intersections. During the public hearing, Richard Reynolds of Reynolds Realty Management told the council that soliciting or standing on highway interchanges has created dangerous situations, saying it is a safety issue that the council “is looking at.” City Attorney Jeff Lewis urged councilmembers to base policy decisions on the data presented in the draft ordinance, noting recent intersection crashes in the state.

The ordinance amends the city code by adding Article 4, Street Safety Zones, and revises definitions in Section 26-2. The caption read that the ordinance contains repealer, severability and publication clauses and establishes an effective date.

The council made no detailed changes on the floor; the public comment focused on safety concerns observed at interchanges and intersections. The council did not specify criminal penalties in remarks recorded at the meeting; the ordinance text in the agenda packet (caption read aloud) governs implementation and enforcement.

The item was approved with an oral vote at the meeting; no roll-call tally attributing individual yes/no votes to specific members was read into the record.

The new provisions will be presented in ordinance form and apply to signalized intersections as described in the city code amendment.