1 day Ago By EMMA LAWSON [email protected]
While Bryan intends to remove a section of medians at a Texas Avenue intersection to install a stoplight, some citizens are critical of the decision and believe the stoplight plan could exacerbate larger issues. “We find the city’s announcement of the median misleading at best. The only median being removed is a small section that will allow a traffic light to be installed,” BCS Median Survey Team data analyst Jack Robbins said.
“We have serious concerns that the proposed traffic light solution will only make matters worse. We feel strongly that removing medians to allow free entry and exit to the subdivisions would be a much better solution for both residents and first responders.” Many citizens of Bryan-College Station view medians unfavorably, especially in locations such as Texas Avenue.
Some common complaints against medians include increasing emergency vehicle response, reducing business for local shops by making it difficult to turn into the location and increasing traffic accidents instead of lowering them. Public opinion of the medians was especially damaged when organizers canceled the annual BCS Christmas Parade, a 93-year-old tradition, due to Texas Avenue medians that would impede large floats and marching units. In a statement received from the city of Bryan on Tuesday, city staff said they would collaborate with TxDOT to remove a median section on Texas Avenue at Garden Acres Boulevard and Brookside Drive in order to install a traffic light.
According to the statement, the decision was made "in response to concerns raised by citizens." The medians on Texas Avenue have generated ire from many local groups, including grassroots organization BCS Median Survey Team. “The traffic signal needs to be installed to support full access at the intersection,” Bryan city staff said in a statement.
“The City remains committed to working with citizens and TxDOT to support future improvements, with a balance between safety, convenience, and cost while supporting emergency responders and improving mobility for residents.” After spending a year developing arguments and data against certain medians in town, the BCS Median Survey Team has sought local leaders to make their arguments and, ideally, get unhelpful medians removed. In early February, Robbins said he was receiving “pushback” from the city of Bryan but had been meeting regularly with TxDOT officials.
In late March, Robbins confirmed he had met with Bryan officials. Denise Fries, member of the BCS Median Survey Team, said solutions are needed for the subdivisions affected by the medians, but the stoplight is not an ideal one. “Since the medians were installed, the residents living in 421 homes along that short section of Texas Avenue have been seeking a better way to get in and out of North Oakwood and Garden Acres Subdivisions.
Currently, they are forced into unsafe U-turns at North Avenue or driving through each other’s neighborhoods to get to where they need to go.” Robbins compiled and presented data from TxDOT regarding crashes in areas with medians and found an overall increase in accidents along Texas Avenue. In 2023, there were reportedly 65 “left/U-turn” associated accidents in 2023, which is a 50% increase over the average, 44 accidents, from 2014-19, according to his data.
Robbins and other members of the BCS Media Survey Team discussed these findings during a public meeting in May 2024. During meetings with Bryan and TxDOT officials in the past, Fries said they were often told the medians were added due to safety concerns, but independent investigations and meetings by the group suggest otherwise. “Even though we have been told all along that the medians were installed for safety concerns, our investigations have revealed that there were never statistics that supported this claim and, in fact, the medians were installed as a beautification project to add, in part, the flower beds on Texas Avenue,” she said.
“Chad Bohne of TxDOT verified this fact at a recent meeting between the medians group and TxDOT personnel.” The BCS Median Survey Team has a video posted on its social media page of a fire truck having to make a dangerous U-turn across Texas Avenue due to medians. Fries said a stoplight is unlikely to solve issues like the one showcased in the video.
“The cost of the stoplight is projected to be $600,000 but does not solve the problem first responders face trying to save lives,” she said. “While it sounds like they were taking a common-sense approach that would allow first responders access and mobility, it’s actually just demolition work that needs to be done to install the light.” According to Robbins, the group spent the weekend informing residents and businesses in Garden Acres of North Oakwood Subdivisions about the stoplight.
“Initial feedback revealed that most people feel that a traffic signal at this intersection will do very little to help the traffic situation and may make matters worse, particularly traffic through neighborhoods,” he said. “TxDOT has repeatedly made the statement that ‘They do not want to do projects that the citizens do not want.’ We hope this is true,” Fries said.
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