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Walnut Hill residents urge city to close Merriman Parkway after years of gunfire; request sent to city manager's office
Summary
Residents told the Dallas City Council on May 14 that nearly 900 gunshots had been recorded near Merriman Parkway in the last two years and asked the city to close a stretch of roadway and install a gate to protect children playing nearby.
(Truncated for brevity in summary) Residents from Merriman Park, speaking during open microphone at the May 14 Dallas City Council meeting, asked the council and city staff to close a segment of Merriman Parkway past the tennis courts and install a gated entrance to limit through‑traffic that they say has enabled repeated shootings behind homes.
A resident reported that, since 2020, the neighborhood has recorded nearly 900 gunshots and that bullets have struck houses and passed over backyards while children were playing. The neighborhood asked the city to install a gate that would allow emergency vehicle access while blocking regular through‑traffic.
Parks Department staff present said the Parks Department had approved installation of a gate and that Council District 10 had already allocated funds, but residents said they had not received timely responses from the city manager’s office or transportation staff and asked the mayor and council to help get a firm schedule.
City follow‑up: A staff member acknowledged the request and asked the resident to meet with staff; the council did not vote on an item related to the closure during the meeting. Residents said they would return to council if they could not get prompt follow‑up.
