Coppell Chronicle Vol. 5, No. 18
Kids’ Commutes Will Get a Bit Safer • Second Hotel Proposed at Victory Site • Private School Plans Temporary Stay • Indian Eatery Returns for Another Round
This weekend’s international news can be highly distressing. Reading some local news might help you take the edge off.
The Coppell Chronicle is among several area businesses that offered internships to Coppell ISD students this month. The first article in this edition was written by Riya Prasad, a rising senior at Coppell High School. The rest are by your usual correspondent.
Kids’ Commutes Will Get a Bit Safer
The city will install a railing along Denton Tap Road to improve safety for students walking to and from nearby schools.
The 550-foot railing will be on the east side of Denton Tap, just north of Parkway Boulevard, where the road crosses Cottonwood Creek. The $95,640 project will be paid for from the city’s Infrastructure Maintenance Fund and is expected to leave between 5 and 5.5 feet of sidewalk space, meeting Americans with Disabilities Act requirements.
“Due to the proximity of the roadway, it can feel uncomfortable or unsafe for pedestrians, particularly for students,” Director of Public Works Mike Garza told the City Council on June 10. “This improvement was requested in response to those safety concerns.”
The railing will not be mounted directly onto the sidewalk as shown in early renderings. Instead, workers will cut out 4 to 5 inches of concrete to install a smaller foundation for the railing, ensuring its structural stability while preserving pedestrian space.
Council Member Kevin Nevels, who initially proposed the idea during the council’s retreat in January, stated that the project addresses long-standing concerns from parents and residents.
Council Member Biju Mathew voiced concerns regarding the west side of that particular stretch of Denton Tap. Nevels, who lives just around the corner, said the east sidewalk is much more congested.
“Seeing all the kids walking, especially from Coppell Middle School North in the afternoons, the majority of traffic is going to be on that east side,” Nevels said.
According to Garza, the railing is anticipated to be completed before school starts in August.
Second Hotel Proposed at Victory Site
There could be 14 hotels in Coppell if developers’ plans all come to fruition.
Last fall, the City Council approved a revised concept plan for the Victory Shops at Coppell that added a five-story Tempo hotel to the development along South Belt Line Road. Next month, the council will consider an additional revision that incorporates a five-story TownePlace Suites.