Commuters on a pair of popular roads in Sachse will be required to adjust their speed as new limits will be in place in the near future, says Greg Peters, Director of Public Works and Engineering.
“While both Pleasant Valley Road and Ranch Road are considered minor arterial roads, they nevertheless get a fair amount of traffic,” he said. “In both cases, the changes in speed limits will affect the way drivers navigate them.”
Pleasant Valley Road, along the southern edge of Sachse, will undergo a change in speed limit from the current 45 miles per hour to 30 miles per hour, and Ranch Road, on the city’s north central quadrant, will soon change from the current 30 miles per hour to 40 miles per hour. The City Council voted for these changes at their Jan. 4 Regular Session. The changes are effective immediately, however, enforcement of the new limits will not begin until the new signage is in place.
The change to Pleasant Valley Road was based on the Council’s consideration of the roadway condition, topography, type of vehicular traffic normally traveling the road, and the safety of drivers along the thoroughfare’s several directional changes.
“Pleasant Valley Road has an older road surface which has been in place for some time,” said Peters.
“The condition of the road is not optimum, and the several severe turns along the road require drivers to pay close attention.” In contrast, the improvements to Ranch Road, completed last year, and the absence of significant curves prompted the Council to raise the limit along this street.
“The straight-line geometry of Ranch Road and the excellent condition of the roadway were such that an increase in speed limit was warranted,” said Peters. An additional change to Ranch Road involves the school speed zone boundaries. A new crosswalk across Ranch Road that allows students and parents to approach Whitt Elementary from the east is now included in the expanded school speed zone on Ranch Road. Appropriate signage and flashing beacon will designate the new eastern boundary.
“Drivers will be required to pay closer attention to the new signs along Pleasant Valley and Ranch Roads as enforcement will begin shortly after their installation,” added Peters. The new signs have been ordered by City staff and will be installed upon their delivery.
