TYLER, Texas (KETK) – The City of Tyler approved a funding agreement with TxDOT at this week’s council meeting to help improve the safety of West Grande Boulevard.
A section of West Grande Boulevard known for having a history of traffic accidents and even fatalities.
In August 2021, the Tyler City Council approved a contract to study the stretch of road to find potential solutions. They looked at West Grande between Gleneagles Drive and Shady Oaks Drive.
“There definitely have been concerns about accidents through that reverse curve, and so we looked at data from 2011 to 2021, and there was somewhere between 50 and 60 accidents that had occurred at that location,” said Cameron Williams, City of Tyler Traffic Engineer.
After the road study, several options were presented with the goal of making the reverse curve safer.
The city is now moving forward with a LED curve warning system and profile pavement markings. The total construction cost is estimated at $134,704.79, 90% of which will be funded through the Federal Highway Safety Improvement Program. The city will cover the remaining 10% through the Half-Cent Sales Tax Program.
Through his research, Williams said most of the accidents occurred due to wet roads and came up with a plan for a high friction treatment for the road.
The project is planned to be sent out for bids in August 2023, according to the city.
“The whole goal is to reduce fatal and severe injuries within the City of Tyler from a traffic accident perspective,” Williams said.
The City of Tyler said if these new safety improvements don’t help stop the number of accidents on this road, they will go back to their other options including reconstruction of the curve.