City plans overhaul of this ‘unsafe’ road in far north Fort Worth. Here’s what’s planned

Fort Worth plans to break ground on a long-anticipated overhaul of West Bailey Boswell Road next fall, according to project updates shared with the public Monday night. City officials hope to wrap up the $29 million reconstruction, originally slated to begin this winter, by April 2027.

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If a pothole damages your car, Fort Worth says to file a claim. Those who do regret it.

Dawn Leonard was driving to Kroger when she saw what she described as a “break in the road,” a section where the pavement had separated. It was July 2023, and she was driving about 30 mph on Timberland Boulevard in far north Fort Worth. With cars driving in the other lane, she had nowhere to swerve and no choice but to drive over the damaged portion of the street. “My front tire hit it and I was like, ‘Oh god, that was a pretty bad bump,’” Leonard said. It wasn’t until a couple days later that Leonard’s car began making an “awful noise,” she said, and she took it to a dealership to find out that the wheel hub was cracked. TOP VIDEOS The repair cost about $1,200. Leonard filed a claim with the city of Fort Worth, along with pictures of the damaged road and receipts from the dealership. She asked the city to reimburse her for the repairs.

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New Tarrant County transportation projects greenlighted thanks to 2021 bond funds

Biggest projects include Bonds Ranch Road, Boat Club Road and Wichita Street

by Sandra Sadek – The Fort Worth Report

Fort Worth resident Victor Sakya sees accidents almost daily while driving along Boat Club Road. In the two years since he moved to Far North Fort Worth, the road has become synonymous with dangerous speeding. 

“I’ve never seen a day where there’s no traffic on Boat Club Road,” Sakya said. “It’s very dangerous. The road I don’t think can handle the number of people driving on it.”

Fort Worth is fastest growing large city, ranks 13th nationwide

Published on May 19, 2023

Fort Worth is the fastest growing large city, at 4.1% population growth since 2020.

Why it matters: The U.S. Census Bureau released population estimates as of July 1, 2022. Fort Worth’s population was 956,709. It’s the 13th largest city in the U.S. by population.

By the numbers: Of all cities over 50,000 people, Fort Worth had the largest gain in population in the past year, adding 19,170 people – approximately 53 people per day.

• Nineteen of the top 30 cities declined in population.
• Texas was the only state that had more than three cities on both the 15 fastest-growing large cities and towns by numeric change and by percent change lists. Fort Worth had the largest numeric population gain in 2022.
• Fort Worth ranks 24th in terms of population density (only Oklahoma City, Jacksonville, Nashville-Davidson County, Memphis, Indianapolis and El Paso are less dense, among the top 30 cities).
• At 359 square miles, Fort Worth has a population of 2,665 residents per square mile.

Learn more about Fort Worth’s population.

Photo: Fort Worth had the largest gain in population in the past year, adding 19,170 people – about 53 people a day.

Mark your calendars now! Northwest Fort Worth Neighborhood Alliance is hosting a “Forum with City Council Candidates” at the EMS ISD Administration Building. The event will be held on April 20. Come out and ask your candidates about their plans to address the safe passageways in our area.

‘It’s a mess’: Why residents feel trapped by unsafe roads in northwest Fort Worth

On Old Decatur Road, students walk to and from school along drainage ditches mere feet from passing cars because there are no sidewalks.

It’s the same on Bowman Roberts Road, a two-lane road running next to Saginaw Boswell High School, where students dart into traffic because there are no crosswalks.

Roads in northwest Fort Worth aren’t keeping up with the area’s rapid growth, putting pedestrians and motorists in danger. Residents say their children can’t walk to school safely, and want the city to fix roads they say have long been neglected.

There may be some help coming though, as city hall considers where to invest an additional $48.9 million in proposed bond funds.

The Eagle Mountain-Saginaw school district, which covers Saginaw and northwest Fort Worth, is growing at 1,200 students per year, and is in a part of the city that grew by 76% over the past decade, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. Southeast Fort Worth, the second fastest growing part of the city, grew 26%.

There are crashes on West Bailey Boswell Road all the time, said Lana Stephens, president of the Twin Mill Farms Homeowners Association. She attributed this to faded road markings, lack of reflective dividers, and poor road conditions.

There were 154 crashes over the past five years on West Bailey Boswell Road, according to Texas Department of Transportation. The majority of these crashes were at the intersection of Bowman Roberts Road, near Boswell High School and Twin Mills Boulevard. 

“It’s a mess, and it’s kind of like you’re trapped,” said Becky Daffern, whose daughter, Riley, is a senior at Boswell.

Daffern said she doesn’t let her daughter drive down West Bailey Boswell unless it’s absolutely

necessary. On one of those absolutely necessary occasions, her daughter t-boned a car trying to make a left turn at the intersection of Bailey Boswell and Twin Mills Boulevard.

“There were babies in the car that she hit, and coming over the hill all I could see were police cars, firetrucks and ambulances, and you know, your heart’s in your throat,” she said.

In September, Boswell students and brothers Isaiah and Elijah Lopez died in a car accident near the same intersection.

Since then the city has increased motorcycle police patrols and began to install a temporary traffic light at West Bailey Boswell Road and Twin Mills Boulevard. It is expected to be completed in early 2022.

“The city hasn’t done any improvements on the majority of our roads ever since they’ve been built,” said Ryan Smith, president of the Northwest Fort Worth Neighborhood Alliance.

Smith said he has been repeatedly told there’s wasn’t enough money to fix the roads in northwest Fort Worth, however, he said he has received more response recently by joining other neighborhood leaders to lobby the city.

“We’ve got to be a louder voice than some of the other groups in the city, and we’ve been told that, but it’s a shame that it’s whoever screams louder now gets the most attention,” Smith said.

City staff proposed adding $48.9 million to the 2022 bond package to fund road construction and maintenance.

District 7 council member Leonard Firestone, whose district includes northwest Fort Worth, said $30 million of the additional funds will be dedicated to that part of the city.

While the final list of projects is still under discussion, Firestone pointed to a list of high priority projects in the area presented during a City Council work session on Dec. 7. Five of those projects include fixes to West Bailey Boswell Road and Bowman Roberts Road.

There is also $10.7 million for fixes to WJ Boaz Road, which Stephens said needs sidewalks and street lighting.

Firestone acknowledged development in northwest Fort Worth has outstripped the roads’ ability to handle extra vehicle and pedestrian traffic. He said the council is more aware of these problems now and is being more conscious of the effect that development has on existing roads.

Firestone said the council is considering policies that would look at the wider effect of new development. He said a policy that requires developers to only widen roads or put in sidewalks near their development needs to be revisited.

Fort Worth has known about these problems for at least a decade, Jim Chadwell, who’s been the Eagle Moutain-Saginaw superintendent for the past 12 years, wrote in an email response to questions from the Star-Telegram.

Chadwell was heartened by the proposed investments in the 2022 bond package, but said the city needs to take quick action to prioritize safety in the fastest growing part of the city.

“The current plans do not indicate an immediate response to these needs, but rather a loose timeline that will take decades to complete,” Chadwell wrote.

Action can’t come fast enough for Becky Daffern.

“Our kids are all over the roads in that area every day, and it could happen again. It could be happening right now,” she said.

The city is still deciding which projects will make it into the bond package. The council has until Feb. 8 to finalize the list before the May 2022 bond election.

It’s not clear when work could be completed even if fixes for West Bailey Boswell are included in the bond election. A spokesperson for Transportation and Public Works said the city typically likes to complete bond projects within four years, but couldn’t give any indication when any of the northwest Fort Worth projects would be finished.

Source: Fort Worth Star-Telegram

‘Our kids are important’ Eagle Mountain Saginaw students need sidewalks, crossings

As more people are moving into previously rural areas in North Fort Worth and Saginaw, the infrastructure is lacking. Students walk home from school along roads without sidewalks or pedestrian crossings.

Watch full story at Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Fort Worth Mother Wants Action After Sons Died on ‘Dangerous’ Stretch of Road

A mom wants action after her two teenaged sons were killed in what’s described as a dangerous stretch of road in North Fort Worth.

Isaiah and Elijah Lopez were killed in a car crash on West Bailey Boswell Road on Sept. 15. The brothers, aged 17 and 14, respectively, were students at Boswell High School and died less than a mile from campus.

Nearly three months after their deaths, their mother spoke before the Fort Worth City Council asking for changes to be made to the roadway.

“I am asking that you please expedite these repairs,” Clarissa Lopez said at Tuesday night’s council meeting.

She said permanent repairs to problems like potholes, uneven lanes, and faded lane markings, along with adding a sidewalk, a road shoulder, and street lighting should happen faster than the timeline of three to four years that’s been given.

“Fort Worth is the fastest-growing city in the nation and this area is the fastest-growing area of Fort Worth,” City Councilman Cary Moon told NBC 5.

Moon represents the area of North Fort Worth where the crash happened. Moon said data proved the dangers of driving along the stretch of Bailey Boswell.

“It’s sad the number of accidents that have happened that have caused loss of life,” Moon said.

He said money and manpower will soon be put into improving the road, starting with intersections.

“We have to address safe routes to schools,” he said. “There’s dollars there but we just need to redirect them here and that’s what you’re going to see over the next three or four months.”

For Lopez, a permanent fix can’t happen soon enough.

“You are the elected ones who have the power to expedite the request,” Lopez said.

Source: NBCDFW