Bryan voters approved a charter amendment calling for the removal of the Texas Avenue medians, with about 79% of the vote. The amendment covers Texas Avenue between Rosemary Drive and State Highway 21. The city said the vote alone does not guarantee the medians will be removed.
Denise Fries, a volunteer with the Remove the Medians group, said the result matched what the group expected after about two and a half years of talking with residents. Fries said nearly everyone who drives is against the medians.
In a legal opinion released Oct. 13, the city said it likely cannot remove the medians without consent from TxDOT, which controls the road. According to the opinion, enforcing the amendment would likely require a court ruling or an opinion from the Texas Attorney General's office. The city estimates removal would cost about $8 million and would require a new funding source.
The city said it is separately pursuing safer U-turns along Texas Avenue, regardless of the outcome of the vote.