Far north Fort Worth property near narrow road ‘dead man’s curve’ could get 30 new homes
An Idaho-based developer is resurrecting plans to build a homes in far north Fort Worth after a 2023 attempt was killed by neighborhood opposition.
Conger Group wants to put 30 one and two story single family homes on a 5.6 acre lot at 5819 Bowman Roberts Road, northwest of Marine Creek Reservoir. This would match the development of the single family neighborhoods surrounding the property.
The developer proposed building 61 for rent cottages on the site in 2023, but concerns about traffic and road safety swayed city leaders to oppose the project.
This tree lined section of Bowman Roberts Road has bar ditches instead of a shoulder and a turn neighbors sometimes refer to as “dead man’s curve.”
Fort Worth city staffers challenged that reputation at a February zoning commission hearing, noting the curve is only dangerous when the road is wet and motorists are driving above the speed limit.
Some residents and the developer have advocated for a four way stop at the Corral Reef Drive intersection, which will serve as one of the entry points into the development.
However, an analysis by the city’s development services department determined the roadway doesn’t have enough traffic to merit putting a four-way stop at the future intersection. It could also put the city in legal jeopardy, said Tom Simerly, a traffic engineer with the development services department.
“If someone has a wreck there, and they have a good ambulance chasing attorney, they can look and see if that four way stop was warranted and use it for litigation purposes against the city,” Simerly said at the February zoning commission hearing.
The developer will join neighbors in advocating for the roadway to be put on a city list for long-term road improvements, said Mary Nell Pool, who represented the developer at the commission hearing. This would make the road eligible for bond funding to improve safety.
The Fort Worth City Council will decide whether to approve the rezoning at its 6 p.m. meeting Tuesday, March 19.
This story was originally published March 18, 2024 at 11:29 AM.
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