Bryan, TxDOT weigh seven Texas Avenue curb‑cut changes; signal at Brookside under review

Dr. Bartnick of the City of Bryan presented an update with TxDOT staff on Texas Avenue medians and seven proposed modifications intended to improve access along the corridor and reduce circuitous travel for nearby businesses and neighborhoods.

Bartnick told council that TxDOT recently bid a project that includes landscaping and one additional traffic signal and that "it's about a $5,000,000 project." He said city staff and TxDOT have identified seven priority locations where removing or pulling back medians could provide left‑turn access: Hensel Avenue, East 30th Street, Dodge Street, Wayside Drive, Merry Lake Drive, North Avenue in Broadmoor, and the Brookside Drive / Garden Acres Boulevard intersection.

The nut graf: staff emphasized the need to balance convenience, cost and safety. Bartnick said some median removals would affect landscaping that TxDOT plans to install and that signal poles and mast arms have long lead times, so the city must decide whether to order poles now or postpone. He said staff will hire a consultant to perform an operational analysis — including level‑of‑service and safety comparisons — and a sealed engineering assessment will be needed for TxDOT to sign off on openings or signal removals.

Bartnick outlined specific proposals: add a southbound left‑turn into the Hensel shopping center; pull back the East 30th Street median and realign 30th for a proposed signal; add a storage left for Dodge Street to improve access toward South College; add a left at Wayside Drive to improve neighborhood connectivity; add opposing left turns at Merry Lake Drive; add a turn lane to North Avenue in Broadmoor to avoid U‑turning via parking lots; and consider opening Brookside/Garden Acres to full access if the safety and corridor impacts are acceptable to TxDOT.

Council discussion focused on priorities, landscaping costs and right‑of‑way limitations. Several members urged staff to avoid investing in irrigation and landscaping that would be removed later. Bartnick said he will request a consultant scope to analyze the seven locations and, if desired, to analyze removing medians along longer stretches of the corridor. No formal council vote or change order was recorded at the workshop; Bartnick asked for direction on whether to proceed with the consultant analysis and on the Brookside/Garden Acres signal decision so TxDOT can delay or proceed with ordering signal equipment.