A plan to stop dangerous speeding cars on Twelfth Street involves taking away two lanes of traffic.

Twelfth is a four-lane roadway with no stop signs or lights between Hampton Road and Edgefield Drive. The speed limit is 30, but neighbors say it’s not uncommon to see cars barreling at 50 miles per hour or more.

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Cars crash into houses and dart around students being dropped off at school in the morning.

Traffic cops started patrolling the stretch regularly this past spring, writing tickets in an effort to curb speeding. But neighbors and City officials recently came up with a comprehensive plan to make the street safer.

They propose taking away a lane and changing the layout to two traffic lanes, a center turn lane and 4-foot buffers from the sidewalk on either side. Where homes face the street, the configuration is similar except that a parking lane replaces the buffers.

(Here are six other roadwork projects to watch in Oak Cliff)

That change would require an amendment to the city’s thoroughfare plan, which requires approval from the City Plan Commission and City Council. But the proposal could start moving through City Hall early next year and take at least a couple of months to approve. In the meantime, temporary signs will go up to warn speeders until the roadwork can be done.

Other measures planned:

  • Create a new pickup and drop-off plan for Greiner Middle School students arriving and departing from Twelfth.
  • Determine whether a traffic signal is needed at Rosemont Avenue or Oak Cliff Boulevard.
  • Continue traffic enforcement.
  • Install temporary “watch your speed” signs as well as digital speed-monitoring signs to help int he short-term.