White Rock Lake updates: Barrier along Garland Road, mulch at dog park

Photo by Danny Fulgencio.

Dallas Park and Recreation staff are expected to meet soon with Texas Department of Transportation representatives to discuss safety measures along Garland Road.

In a statement issued April 14, District 9 Dallas City Council member Paula Blackmon called for bollards to be installed on park property in the southeastern portion of the park. Two vehicle crashes occurred last month in that area, where the pedestrian trail is just feet from Garland Road; one crash caused the death of a 19-year-old driver, and the other involved a Dallas Fire-Rescue fire engine.

"Rest assured, I am working through every department I can find at Dallas City Hall along with TxDOT and our state officials to bring safety for motorists, bikers and runners along this dangerous stretch of Garland Road," Blackmon wrote in the statement. "Until then, please slow down."

Speeding is only made more dangerous with the traffic congestion generated by TxDOT's Gaston-Garland-Grand intersection reconfiguration project, which is expected to be completed this fall.

City and park representatives along with community stakeholders have already walked from where East Lawther hits Garland Road to the spillway, District 9 Park Board member Maria Hasbany told the White Rock Lake Task Force.

Now it's a matter of nailing down the details, which is why a meeting between park staff and TxDOT is needed.

They have to figure out where exactly the barriers can be placed, given TxDOT's right-of-way along Garland Road, which is a state highway. And the overall look of the barrier has to be determined, though concern about aesthetics is not a top priority, Hasbany said.

On the opposite side of the lake, a pilot program will be implemented soon at the dog park. Bark mulch will be added to an area in the center of the park, where the turf is often deteriorated, Hasbany said. The mulch is expected to reduce the need for maintenance and shorten the duration of park closures after bad weather.

The park will be closed while the mulch is applied; play equipment for the pets will also be installed. A timeline for the project has not yet been set.

Another project getting closer to completion is the installation of 11 directional signs provided by the White Rock Lake Foundation. Board member Ted Ellis said he hopes the signs are in place by the end of the year.