North Texas Residents Concerned About Increased Deer Incidents Due to Development

Development and Wildlife Concerns

• 🏡 Harbor Greer, a resident of Benbrook for 20 years, moved to the outskirts for the land, anticipating inevitable growth.
• 📈 She has observed a significant increase in traffic on Ranch to Market Road 2871, estimating it has more than doubled.
• 🏗️ New housing developments are emerging near her home, particularly one close to I-20.

Deer Carcasses and Driver Safety

• 🦌 Greer points out multiple dead deer along a mile and a half stretch of road, noting the carcasses are left to rot.
• ⚠️ She expresses concern for the danger posed to drivers who might hit these animals.
• 📉 Last week alone, three deer were killed, highlighting a recurring issue.

Proposed Solutions and Official Responses

• 🚦 Greer suggests implementing deer crossing signage and a lower speed limit to mitigate risks.
• 🌐 A Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) spokesperson stated that such requests can be submitted via their website, as the road is state-maintained.
• 🌳 While Benbrook acknowledges the county's jurisdiction over the area and Texas Parks and Wildlife notes that development can impact wildlife habitats, there are limited actions they can take.

Community Awareness and Impact

• 🤷‍♀️ There's a perceived disconnect between those aware of the deer population and those who are not, leading to collisions.
• 🚗 Greer worries about the consequences for drivers attempting to avoid deer, questioning if they might swerve into a ditch or collide head-on with other vehicles.
• 💔 The situation is also acknowledged as sad for the deer themselves.