A view of Tyler Street from Seventh, where traffic moves too fast and wrecks are not uncommon: Photo by Danny Fulgencio

Oak Cliff neighbors are taking roadway markings into their own hands, and they have the city’s attention.

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A few weeks after someone painted their own bike lane in Kings Highway, another neighbor spray painted a turn lane on West Seventh at Tyler streets.

That’s the three-way intersection where Tyler meets Polk and Kings Highway; neighbors have proposed turning that one-block section of Kings Highway into a plaza, eliminating the roadway altogether. City Council has approved a $3.1-million plan to convert Tyler and Polk to two-way streets, which is expected to calm traffic and make the area more pedestrian friendly.

Ryan Behring, who lives near that intersection, says there are car accidents all the time. “You’re putting your life at risk walking across 80 feet of asphalt,” he told KTVT this week.

City staff responded to the secretly painted markings today:

Our crews are installing some striping and signs this week. The Tyler-Polk project will install ultimate striping at this intersection [in 2019].

We would like to invite the group to reach out to our office, or through the City’s 311 system for improvements they desire so these can be installed collaboratively and safely in accordance with federal and state standards. We would discourage them to install unauthorized pavement markings and signs – not only is it illegal, they often endanger themselves and the traveling public when they do.