A much-anticipated road project was presented to council at their most recent meeting; however, not all residents were thrilled with the street’s classification.

Several residents spoke about the design plans for Bailey Road during the public comment portion of the meeting, in agreement that it should be considered a residential street. During his presentation, Director of CIP and Public Works Corey Nesbit said the road is classified as a collector street, according to the 2010 thoroughfare plan — the city’s most recent iteration.

Resident Jackie Eichelberger said that staff should treat the road differently than other collector streets because there are 37 homes that sit on the east and west sides of Bailey Road.

“We are hoping that you on the council and the city in good faith acknowledge and consider the fact that the layout of homes on Bailey can’t be changed, and that perhaps certain accommodations could be made to ensure our safety and quality of life,” Eichelberger said. 

James Petre, another resident living on Bailey Road, said he walks his 6-year-old daughter to school each morning along the side of the road. Frequently, he is passed by cars going above the speed limit, he added, and some of his neighbors have had to replace their mailboxes several times with the road’s current configuration.

Petre said he hopes council elects to maintain stop signs and speed humps on the road.

“The speed humps and stop signs are all we have,” Petre said. “Y’all can come over and we can sit in my driveway and watch cars get air over them. If you pull those out, it’s just going to increase their speed.”

He continued that he recalled the average speed on Bailey Road being 52 mph prior to the installation of speed humps. The road’s speed limit is 30 mph.

Nesbit said that the classification of Bailey Road as a collector street prevents speed humps but does allow for stop signs, which will be placed at the intersections with Creek Crossing Lane, Ermine Circle, Anthony Road and Williford Road. Each intersection would also be a “raised intersection” that raises the street to the surrounding sidewalk level. Both measures act as traffic calming in lieu of speed humps, said Nesbit.

For the full story, see the Jan. 26 issue of The Sachse News.