City of Coppell to construct more sustainable median designs

The current rendering is what was designed in 2014 as part of the Streetscape Master Plan and the proposed rendering is what S. Belt Line and future medians may look like with more hardscape and less turf.
Courtesy of the City of Coppell

Coppell Gazette
By Arianna Morrison | Star Local Media
March 29, 2023

Coppell Community Experiences has announced plans to investigate new options for median designs that would conserve water and reduce maintenance costs. The Streetscape Master Plan was adopted in 2014 as part of the Coppell 2030 Plan, which aimed to create a beautiful, green city with well-maintained corridors and streetscapes.

“As we were going under constriction with Belt Line, we realized we have a great opportunity now to make that decision to change our mindset and our landscaping so that we can work to conserve and minimize our water consumption,” said Mike Garza, director of public works for the city of Coppell.

The goal is to utilize less turf since S. Belt Line’s median is currently using approximately 44,000 gallons of water each week. With the proposed design, S. Belt Line’s median would use approximately 12,500 gallons of water each week.

The median planting design used for Sandy Lake Road became the template for the city's roadways and municipal facilities, with medians along Denton Tap, Parkway, Freeport, and Bethel following the same design aesthetic. However, as more street improvement projects include median designs, the city has begun to explore more effective options.

Water conservation has become a critical issue for the city, particularly after the drought conditions experienced during the summer of 2022. Medians were identified as a major portion of the city's water usage, prompting officials to investigate alternatives that could reduce irrigation needs and save time and resources in maintenance activities.

“Currently, the city is the biggest consumer of water in Coppell,” said Jessica Carpenter, Director of Community Experiences. “The city is taking steps to minimize our water usage and we’re looking at areas we can conserve. Certainly, our medians are one of those areas.”

By incorporating additional drought-tolerant materials and hardscapes, the city hopes to achieve a similar aesthetic to the current medians while significantly reducing the need for additional water consumption. This shift to more sustainable options will benefit the community by conserving water and reducing the city's maintenance costs, Carpenter said.

The investigation into new median designs is just one step in the city’s ongoing effort to enhance Coppell's streetscapes and create a greener future for all residents.