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Council tables Cravens Road one-way plan after safety and traffic concerns
Summary
After a lengthy public hearing and technical presentations, the council voted unanimously to table a proposal to re-designate a portion of Cravens Road as one-way while staff pursues more analysis and alternatives including acceleration-apron and long-term overpass/underpass options.
The City Council opened a public hearing on an ordinance to redesignate a portion of Cravens Road between U.S. 90A and the first private driveway as one-way northbound, then voted to place the item on hold for additional study.
City Engineer Vincenzo Carraza told the council the proposed one-way change responds to repeated collisions where trucks waiting to turn onto U.S. 90A can end up with trailers over the adjacent Union Pacific railroad track—the distance between the highway and tracks is about 43 feet, while typical commercial trucks measure 70–80 feet. Carraza said the city, TxDOT and Union Pacific had pursued options and that TxDOT’s design schedule targets spring 2027 construction for restriping and signage contingent on funding and railroad agreements. "That leads us to tonight's agenda item, for one-way designation," Carraza said.
Councilmembers pressed staff and TxDOT on alternatives, long-term solutions and operational details. Councilmember Sonya Brown Marshall asked why there are not more robust crossing gates or signalization; Carraza and TxDOT area engineer Daniel Dvorak explained that engineering constraints and the railroad’s operational concerns limit some signal options and that the railroad favored full closure or an overpass in prior studies. Several members raised safety and traffic-management questions: how wrong‑way or lost trucks will be prevented, where 18-wheelers would turn around, whether residential streets like South Gessner would see diverted truck traffic, and how to ensure multi-agency follow-through for a long-term overpass. "We need something beyond an easy fix," one councilmember said, urging written commitments and more study.
Councilmember Brown Marshall moved to table the ordinance until staff returns with additional alternatives, analysis of the previously studied 'apron' acceleration option, and assurances about partner commitments; Councilmember Riley seconded. The motion carried unanimously. The council directed staff to continue coordination with TxDOT and Union Pacific and to report back with more detailed options and cost/responsibility clarifications.
