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1. Who do I contact to report a problem with a traffic signal?

If you wish to report a traffic signal light out, damaged, malfunctioning, or would just like information on how traffic signals operate call Public Works Operations at 972-462-5150 Monday through Friday 7am to 4:30pm. For emergency situations after normal business hours and on weekends and holidays, call Coppell Police Dispatch at 972-304-3610. To report a traffic signal issue electronically, use the Non-Emergency Request for Service form.

Non-Emergency Request for Service

2. Who maintains all of the major traffic signals on the outskirts of Coppell?

The following table contains signals that are partially within the city limits of Coppell but maintained and/or owned by other jurisdictions.

Intersection	Owned By	Maintained By
I-635 @ S Belt Line Rd	Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)	Irving
I-635/Dividend Dr @ Freeport Pkwy	Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)	Irving
I-635 @ Royal Ln	Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)	Irving
SH 121 @ W Sandy Lake Rd	Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)	Grapevine
SH 121 @ Freeport Pkwy	Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)	Grapevine
SH 121 @ N Denton Tap Rd	Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)	Lewisville
N Denton Tap Rd @ Highland Dr	Coppell/Lewisville	Lewisville

The following table contains are near the city limits of Coppell but maintained and/or owned by other jurisdictions.

Intersection	Owned By	Maintained By
SH 121 @ Bass Pro Dr/W Bethel Rd	Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)	Grapevine
SH 121 @ MacArthur Blvd	Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT)	Lewisville

City of Coppell Intersection List (DOCX)

3. Does the City of Coppell record any of the video from its traffic cameras?

No, the City of Coppell does not record or retain any video from the cameras in its traffic management system. The cameras you see on top of the traffic signals are used to detect traffic for the operation of the traffic signal and to also help engineers monitor traffic flow in the city at any given moment. If you need assistance with records for an accident or traffic ticket, please contact the Coppell Police Department at 972-304-3620. 

4. How are the yellow and all-red clearance times calculated for a traffic signal?

Yellow time is calculated using a nationwide standardized equation based on the speed of traffic on the roadway. The majority of Coppell’s major roadways have speed limits around 40 miles per hour; consequently, a yellow time of about 4 seconds is used at most traffic signals.

The all-red time is also calculated using a nationwide standardized equation for a given speed. The City of Coppell uses all-red values that range between 1 and 3 seconds, depending on the intersection width and speed.

5. How do you decide where and when to install traffic signals?

The installation of traffic signals follows a nationally standardized process that is outlined in the Texas Manual of Uniform Traffic Control Devices (TMUTCD). There is a set of criteria that must be satisfied before a traffic signal can be installed, most of which are based on traffic volumes. Not every street can be given a traffic signal, so traffic volumes are a large factor in determining which intersections will be signalized.

Distance Between Traffic Signals

In addition, traffic signals must be spaced a certain distance apart in order to function well. The intersection of 2 major roadways is always assumed to be a future traffic signal location and then other potential locations must be spaced an appropriate distance away. As other traffic signals are added at minor intersections, it further limits the possible location of additional traffic signals.

Time Frame for Installation of a Traffic Signal

Finally, the time frame for the installation of a traffic signal is primarily determined by the funding available to us each year. All of the intersections that meet the necessary criteria are prioritized each year based upon the amount of traffic they serve, an analysis of the conflicting movements, and other factors. The City then assigns the available funding to the top-ranked locations.

6. How do I request a new traffic signal?

Please call Public Works Operations at 972-462-5150. If the intersection in question is eligible for a traffic signal, it will be added to a list of locations that we monitor on an annual basis. We will observe and collect the traffic volumes at all these potential traffic signal locations and see if they meet the nationally standardized criteria for justifying the installation of a traffic signal.

All of the locations that meet the necessary threshold will be prioritized based on traffic volumes, conflicting movements, and other factors. The City will then assign the funding available that year to the top-ranked locations.

Eligibility

It is not possible to install a traffic signal at every intersection for numerous reasons, so a particular intersection may not be eligible for a traffic signal. If it is eligible, it may take years before it reaches the top of the priority list for installation.

Alternate Routes

At any intersection, we recommend that citizens take an alternative route instead of making a maneuver that makes them uncomfortable. Whether an uncontrolled intersection is a candidate for a traffic signal or not, it may be necessary for motorists to take an alternative route during busy times of the day instead of making a left-turn or going straight across an intersection. For example, motorists can turn right and then make a U-turn at another location.

7. Who do I contact to report a malfunctioning school zone warning flasher?

Please contact Public Works Operations at 972-462-5150 to report a malfunctioning school zone warning flasher.

8. Can speed bumps/humps be installed on my residential street?

The City of Coppell no longer allows speed bumps/humps to be installed on any public street. The Fire Department, the Police Department, and the Public Works Department have considered them in the past and discussed them with City Council and the City has decided not to use them.

Reasons to Not Install Speed Bumps

In short, they are a hindrance to emergency vehicles, cities have been held liable for damage caused by them, they do not always have the intended effect (because some people will speed up between them), and they are very divisive within neighborhoods. Some residents on a street will want them, but others will not, and residents of nearby streets will not want traffic diverted to their street.

Studies

Studies have shown that for the humps to be effective, several must be installed on a street at a specific distance apart, which impacts more residents and further slows down emergency vehicles (it is estimated that each hump delays emergency vehicles 10 to 15 seconds).

9. Can parking be prohibited on my residential street?

Residential streets are designed to be a compromise between providing parking, allowing emergency access, and preventing traffic from driving too fast in front of homes. Residential streets need to be narrow to discourage people from speeding in front of people’s homes, yet they need to be wide enough to allow emergency vehicles to drive past cars that are parked on the street. It is important to note that residential streets are not intended to be wide enough to guarantee that traffic can flow in both directions at the same time.

Amount of Feet Needed on Streets

The narrowest residential streets in Coppell are wide enough to have cars parked on both sides of the street and still provide a minimum of 10 feet between them (and more room is usually available when people have done a good job of parking). Passenger cars are 6 feet wide and fire trucks are 8 feet wide, so each can travel between the parked cars. Forcing cars to take turns traveling in each direction on a residential street is not considered to be a problem that needs to be corrected. In fact, this is a natural way to slow down traffic on a residential street (which people are often worried about).

No Parking Areas

Beyond the situations described, it is not legal to park in front of a fire hydrant or too close to a crosswalk. If there are some cars that chronically park in these areas, we can observe the situation and post a No Parking sign if it is warranted.

Report a Car

If there is an issue with a parked car that seems abandoned, please contact Code Enforcement at 972-304-3590.

10. What can be done about speeding on my residential street?

According to state law, the speed limit on residential streets is 30 miles per hour (mph) whether a sign is posted or not. Vehicle speeds are notoriously difficult for pedestrians to accurately guess, so we suggest you stand in your yard and have someone drive by at 30 mph so you can see what a car driving the speed limit looks like. If you believe traffic is going faster than 30 mph on your street, you can contact the Police Department at 972-304-3600 to request that they place their radar speed trailer on your street and/or conduct a directed patrol. You can also call Public Works Engineering at 972-304-3679 and request that we conduct a speed study on your street.

Speed Study

The speed study will determine the actual speeds of cars throughout the day. Depending on the results, we can install additional 30 mph speed limit signs, increase the visibility of a pedestrian crossing, or we can ask the Police Department to conduct a directed patrol during times when speeding is occurring.

We can also suggest a Home Owners Association (HOA) education campaign (because it is typically the residents of your neighborhood who are speeding because they are so familiar with the streets). In rare cases where speeds are high, the City can allow the neighborhood to install and maintain a permanent radar speed board.

Speed Bumps

The City of Coppell does not install speed bumps or humps on public streets, nor do we install stop signs to control vehicle speed (see more detailed responses about these items elsewhere on this site). The City also does not lower the speed limit on individual residential streets; instead, the City maintains a consistent residential speed limit across the City and in line with state law.

11. Can an intersection be changed to allow 2 lanes to turn right?

In order for 2 lanes to turn right, the intersection needs to have 3 lanes on the roadway they are turning onto. This allows for the different turn radius capabilities of various vehicles (such as trucks), as well as giving drivers more leeway in making the maneuver adjacent to another car turning right at the same time.

12. Who maintains all of the signs in the City of Coppell?

Most of the signs are maintained by Public Works Operations, but there are some Home Owners Associations (HOAs) that install and maintain their own signs.

13. Can a “Children at Play” sign be installed in our neighborhood?

The City of Coppell does not install "Children at Play" signs. Almost every neighborhood in Coppell has a lot of children and the sign would technically need to be installed on every block of every street, which is not feasible (and would render the warning sign meaningless). It should be an assumption of every driver on any neighborhood street or alley that children live here and they should drive defensively.

14. Can a Stop sign be installed on my residential street?

If you would like to request a STOP sign, please call Public Works Operations at 972-462-5150. We will conduct a traffic study at the intersection to determine if a STOP sign is a warranted base on national traffic engineering standards.

Example to Not Install Stop Signs

Please keep in mind that the City of Coppell does not install STOP signs to control vehicle speed, which is also a national traffic engineering standard. Primarily this is because motorists subconsciously or consciously come to realize that’s the purpose of the STOP sign and they begin to disregard it. They will begin to roll through the STOP sign when no traffic is present and then that diminishes the authority of all STOP signs in the neighborhood. In addition, motorists will often speed in between these STOP signs to make up the time they feel they have lost.

When Stop Signs Are Installed

All of this reduces the safety of the neighborhood. Instead, according to national traffic engineering standards, we only install STOP signs when the intersection meets certain STOP sign warrants based on traffic volumes, sight distance, etc.

15. Who maintains the pavement markings in the City?

Public Works Operations maintains most of the pavement markings within the City. They can be reached at 972-462-5150. If you’re inquiring about pavement markings at major intersections like SH 121 or I-635, please contact the Texas Department of Transportation for more information.

16. What does "Stop Here on Red" mean?

Stop here on red tells drivers that they have to stop where the stop line is, even if the intersection looks like the driver should stop elsewhere, such as near a traffic signal.