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(THOMAS WALLNER | THE GRAHAM LEADER) Texas Department of Transportation Graham Area Engineer Zach Husen speaks with the Transportation Improvements Committee for the city of Graham during their meeting Thursday, April 3.
The Texas Department of Transportation is closing in on a finalized report for a potential traffic signal at the Montgomery Road and Hwy. 16 intersection in Graham, along with other recommendations on Hwy. 16.
TxDOT contracted the work on the intersection to the engineering firm Garver who were tasked with analyzing that section from a traffic safety perspective and to make a recommendation.
“They have returned their recommendation to us and we’re in the review stage of that report,” TxDOT Graham Area Engineer Zach Husen said Thursday, April 3. “After they receive our comments, they’re supposed to issue us a final report next month.”
The engineering firm determined a traffic signal met the warrants required, which was different from a 2023 TxDOT study which said the intersection did not meet the standards for a traffic signal.
“There’s nine warrants as part of that volume analysis and previously the counts didn’t meet any of those warrants,” Husen said in a previous meeting with the Transportation Improvements Committee. “The engineering consultants study showed that intersection satisfied three of the volume warrants, the peak hour, the four hour and the eight hour volume warrants were satisfied by that.”
In February 2023, the Graham City council approved a resolution recognizing the intersection of Montgomery Road and Elm Street as dangerous and pushed for further review from TxDOT. The resolution requested a determination if additional safety features could be installed at the location.
A total of 486 vehicle wrecks occurred from Dec. 30, 2019 to Dec. 30, 2024 within the city of Graham, with three of those being fatal wrecks. Of those total wrecks, 256 were related to an intersection, 226 were related to distracted driving and 112 were related to speed.
TxDOT crash data from the same period shows the intersection of Hwy. 16 and Montgomery Road was ranked fourth in number of crashes with eight total.
The intersection was ranked under U.S. 281 at Hwy. 25 and FM 174, U.S. 380 at FM 3491 and Hwy. 16 at Fourth Street, which was ranked first.
The Road to Zero is an initiative through TxDOT to cut traffic fatalities in half by 2035 and record zero deaths by 2050. Part of that initiative is to develop the safest alternative for an intersection.
“The installation of a traffic signal was one alternative, building nothing at all was one alternative (and) constructing different types of intersections were also alternatives, one of which was a roundabout,” Husen said. “...Even though the roundabout returned the safest return, the consultant didn’t recommend the roundabout because of right-of-way issues. They recommended traffic signals and improved safety.”
Husen said the TxDOT Wichita Falls District is discussing recommendations within their policy directives from the state and federal government.
“It’s very clear what we know is happening right there and how much would be improved by the addition of a traffic signal. Unfortunately, we’re going to have to wait a little bit longer to take any kind of action, because there are safer alternatives there so we have to follow that out,” he said.
The engineering firm was also tasked with analyzing modifications to the Pine Tree Road intersection and adjustments of speed zones on Hwy. 16 and Elm Street.
A protected left turn for southbound left traffic turning at Pine Tree Road was suggested by the engineering firm along with retiming traffic signals across Hwy. 16 and a reduction in the posted speed limits.
“The Pine Tree modification has been proposed as a safety project. Think of it as a capital improvement project. It’s sitting on deck awaiting prioritization and funding,” Husen said. “At some point, TxDOT will pick that up and we will do that. I can’t commit to a timeline right now, but I can tell you that one’s coming.”
A reduction of the posted speed limits to 35 mph for Hwy. 16 at Cherry Street and Montgomery Road and 40 mph at Pine Tree Road and Walmart Drive were recommended.
“They’re working on developing the strip map for that right now, and then it’ll go to our (TxDOT) commission for approval. We’ll come to the city and ask for concurrence and the passing of a resolution by the city council and we’ll go out and change the signs,” Husen said.
For more coverage on this stories, see articles on the speed changes, local crash data and Hwy. 16 intersection.
