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Dobson Street safety study urges permanent parking restrictions, sidewalk and crossing upgrades
Summary
A Kimley‑Horn study presented to council recommended prohibiting parking in specific narrow blocks, installing permanent physical deterrents and building continuous sidewalks on Dobson’s west frontage to improve pedestrian safety around Nola Dunn Elementary and a nearby church; council asked staff to incorporate short‑, mid‑ and long‑term measures into CIP and enforcement plans.
City staff and consultant Kimley‑Horn presented a Dobson Street safety study on April 21 that identified recurring parking in sight triangles, on bridge decks and in parkways near Nola Dunn Elementary School and Open Door Church, creating unsafe pedestrian crossings and constricted two‑way traffic.
Brandon Forsyth, the Kimley‑Horn lead, said field observations during school and church peak times showed parking in striped safety areas and on bridge spans that reduce sight distance and impede emergency access. “Parking along Dobson Street in those prohibited areas…making it a little bit difficult for that crossing maneuver to take place,” Forsyth said, describing vehicles parking in areas intended to keep sight triangles clear.
Recommended short‑term steps included formalizing no‑parking controls on narrow blocks (particularly the bridge section), adding vertical discouragement measures such as curb extensions or turtle domes, and placing permanent barriers on the bridge to prevent parking. Forsyth also recommended continuous sidewalk on the west side of Dobson and improved signing or visibility for the existing rectangular rapid‑flashing beacon to concentrate pedestrian crossings at safer locations.
Council members emphasized enforcement and coordination with BISD and the church; one council member noted the church has taken steps with cones on the bridge but urged a permanent fix. Staff said the study’s recommendations will be prioritized into short, mid and long‑term categories for CIP consideration and that staff will reach out to BISD and the church about operational changes and enforcement.
No formal vote was required; council provided direction to staff to draft an implementation and funding approach and return with more specific recommendations and a prioritized project list.
