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TxDOT speed study recommends 5 mph reduction on portions of Ralph Air Road; council to await final report
Summary
TxDOT reported preliminary results of a speed study on Ralph Air Road recommending a 5 mph reduction from stretches currently posted at 55 mph. City staff said a local ordinance will be needed to enforce the new limit inside city limits; signage change could occur by April pending commission action.
City staff and a Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) area engineer briefed the Fair Oaks Ranch City Council on Dec. 4 about a recent TxDOT speed study for Ralph Air Road and its findings.
Andres Gonzalez, TxDOT area engineer, explained the methodology, saying radar counts at four locations used the 85th‑percentile ("80 fifth percentile" in the presentation) approach as a starting point and that the study considers crashes, driveway density and shoulder width. Gonzalez said the results "warrant a 5 mile an hour reduction on the entire limits of where it's 55 mile an hour currently." He described a process for changes outside city limits that requires concurrence from TxDOT in Austin and action by the Texas Transportation Commission; for portions inside the city a local ordinance will be needed for enforcement.
Staff estimated a target timeline of April for changing signs if the Transportation Commission and local steps proceed as expected. Council members asked whether to request a new study; staff recommended waiting because the TxDOT study is complete and will be provided in report form.
The council thanked TxDOT for attending and said staff will follow up with legal and an ordinance if and when TxDOT confirms the 50 mph recommendation.
