Residents demand traffic calming measures after multiple speeding incidents endanger homes and safety.
DALLAS — East Dallas’ Historic Junius Heights District has managed to withstand time.
“These are old houses. This house has been here for over 100 years,” said Rachel Feig, a resident. She said her home has seen a lot, but not anything like what it’s seen in the last few years. At Victor and Abrams Streets, Feig said speeding outruns caution.
“It’s not safe for us to even be standing here on the sidewalk talking,” said Feig.
In November 2023, she said a drunk driver flew around the curve traveling more than 100mph.
“He hit that dart bench and the trash can. The trash can and the bench ended up in my side yard. He flipped, almost did like a cartwheel into the side of my house,” said Feig.
Luckily, she wasn’t home at the time, but on Sunday, she was home.
“We were watching TV and all of a sudden we hear a very loud bang, loud, loud bang,” said Feig.
A driver’s wheel popped off and smacked into her home.
“It is absolutely terrifying to be sitting in your home that is supposed to be your safe space, and to now feel like I could be killed by a car coming through my living room,” said Feig.
She told WFAA that that was the fourth incident in the last year and a half. She said drivers have knocked down school signs and light poles.
“We’ve been asking for traffic studies. We’ve been asking for a light to be put in, something to slow down the traffic,” said Feig.
Wednesday, Feig took her concerns to the Dallas City Council.
“Imagine this at rush hour. I imagine this in the middle of the night when people are speeding through here,” said Doyle Rader, another resident who is also an advocate for improving roadways.
“Our elected officials can just pay attention, listen, and come out and see what the reality is on the ground,” said Rader.
WFAA reached out to Councilman Paul Ridley. He said in a statement, “I am aware of the two serious incidents of reckless driving on Abrams Road that have resulted in crashes and damage to Ms. Feig’s home. Since the first crash, my office submitted a request for a traffic study on Abrams and, more recently, a pedestrian study. A meeting with Ms. Feig, Dallas Police Department, and City Transportation and Public Works leadership is scheduled for July 1 to review the data, crash history, and discuss potential solutions.”
The Department of Transportation and Public Works also sent WFAA the following statement.
While there aren’t any records of service requests for the Victor Street-Abrams Road intersection, safer roadways are a priority for the City. We spoke with the resident and have agreed to meet to discuss her traffic concerns.
Residents are always encouraged to fill out service requests online or through 311 for items such as speed control, and to be as detailed as possible about their situation. This formal process ensures that staff can study specific concerns to determine which measures may be appropriate and establishes a service record for future reference.
While the department, Councilman Ridley, and Dallas Police are planning to meet with Feig soon, for her, it’s not at the speed she needs.
“As far as I know, nobody has been seriously injured or killed, but how long do we have to wait for our luck to run out,” said Feig.