‘It could have killed someone’ Dallas residents plead for protection from dangerous drivers along Northwest Highway

Residents living along Northwest Highway in Dallas have expressed grave concerns about the dangerous speeds of vehicles traveling on the road, highlighting not only the risk to motorists but also the threat posed to residents in nearby homes.

Northwest Highway serves as both a city street and a state road, extending east to west from Garland to Las Colinas. However, a particular section of the roadway, near Buckner Boulevard, is identified as Loop 12 to the west and Spur 244 to the east.

Numerous residents residing along Northwest Highway have reached out to NBC 5 Investigates, lamenting the lack of assistance from the city or TxDOT in addressing the issue of speeding traffic.

Photos provided by residents vividly illustrate the challenges of living near a thoroughfare where vehicles frequently exceed safe speeds, resulting in multiple instances of fences being destroyed, posing a serious threat to families residing nearby.

Steve Mendoza, a concerned resident, shared his apprehension about the safety of his neighborhood, The Enclave at Wyrick Estates, which abuts Northwest Highway. Mendoza recounted multiple occasions where vehicles crashed through the neighborhood’s fence, endangering residents and their properties.

Barry O’Reilly, another resident, described a harrowing incident where a vehicle lost control, causing significant damage to his property and leaving his family shaken. The alarming frequency of such incidents has raised serious concerns among residents about the safety of their community.

Records from the Texas Department of Transportation reveal a staggering 688 crashes occurring over five years along the stretch of Northwest Highway between Audelia and Garland roads.

Despite residents’ pleas for intervention, efforts to address the issue have been met with bureaucratic challenges and jurisdictional disputes between the city and TxDOT. Requests for measures such as installing a stoplight and guardrails have been met with resistance or deferral.

City Councilmember Paula Blackmon, representing the area, acknowledged the urgency of the situation and expressed her commitment to facilitating solutions. She emphasized the need for expedited traffic studies and collaboration with TxDOT to implement necessary safety measures.

Blackmon also proposed long-term strategies to redesign Northwest Highway and similar roadways, transforming them into pedestrian-friendly boulevards to mitigate speeding and enhance safety.

Meanwhile, residents continue to endure the risks posed by speeding traffic, hoping for prompt action to alleviate their concerns and restore a sense of security to their community. The city’s Transportation Department is conducting analyses to determine appropriate mitigation measures, while Blackmon advocates for immediate action and long-term improvements to address the issue comprehensively.