Good evening and welcome to the City of Denton Traffic
Safety Commission meeting of Monday,
May 7th, 2018.
We have a quorum, so we're getting started at 5.32 p.m.
The first item on our agenda is number one, items for
consideration.
Item 1A, TSC 18-020 is to consider the approval of the
Traffic Safety Commission meeting minutes
of April 2nd, 2018.
Has everyone had a chance to look at the minutes?
Are there any corrections?
>> Make a motion that we accept as read.
>> We have a motion.
>> I'll second.
>> And we have a second.
>> Is everyone in agreement?
The minutes have been approved as written.
Item 1B is TSC 18-021.
Receive a report, hold discussion, and make a
recommendation to City Council for approval
of prohibiting parking on the southwest side of Hanover
Drive adjacent to the school from
Windsor Drive to Croydon Street during school hours.
Preetam?
>> Good evening, everyone.
My name is Preetam Deshmukh, traffic engineer for the city.
And this item is brought forward based on not a complaint
but a concern from DISD.
And I was contacted by their safety manager who typically
contacts me when there are issues
at schools.
And we had a meeting with the principal and we actually sat
through one cycle to observe
what was happening at that particular place.
So this is -- I'll just pull up a map and briefly talk
through what was happening.
This is a portion of Hanover Drive that we're really
concerned about.
So this portion of Hanover Drive that curves around and
then all the way to the edge of
the campus.
This is where the campus ends.
Currently the way the operation of the campus is, when the
school was built, it was built
as a neighborhood school where kids would walk to school
not expecting anyone would
drive.
And therefore it was not designed as a drop-off area or a
lot of cars pulling in and circulating
around the campus as most of the newer campuses like Pecan
Creek Elementary and Razor -- I'm
sorry, L.A. Nelson and all those have.
So this does not have a drive-through element.
The ISD is considering a portion of this to be converted
into a drive-through or a connection
back here as part of their bond package.
They've not really looked at it, but that's their long-term
solution to get people off
here and then circulate them back that way.
But all that will come to our review eventually, not at
this point.
They wanted to come up with an immediate solution at least
for the next few years and give you
a brief history what has happened.
This problem didn't start today.
It started a long time ago.
And as a result, what they did is they posted no stopping
anytime signs along this portion
so that cars could -- if you go to the street view, you can
see the signs -- so that no
one would stop or stand during the school hours.
And only if it can read.
So what's happening on this side is cars are not allowed to
stop during the school hours.
So that's a good thing.
The entire width of the street is 32 feet.
And then the other thing that was done is you see this
curve from this driveway.
Let me get back your bearing.
So from this driveway all the way to the edge of the school
, this is also a no stopping
area during the school hours.
It's -- I'm sorry.
No parking area.
It's a stopping area for cars to line up here.
This segment, however, was left out of the whole discussion
.
And what's happening here is people park and go pick up
their kids.
When they're parked, people that are waiting to pick up
their kids here, there's a gate
here right here.
And this is where some of the classes are let off.
So cars are lined up all the way along the curb while these
cars get in and out of here,
they line up here, but they back up here.
So if someone's parked in this particular area, then there
's double stopping and there's
no two-way traffic chance on this side.
So you cannot fit in four cars next to each other.
Only three can fit in comfortably.
So that's why if someone's parked and then someone's
waiting in this queue to pick up
their kid, you can't really pass or cars coming down Winds
or cannot really pass.
So there's a big chaos and I think what happened last few
weeks, cops were called in and a
lot of tickets were given or warnings were given.
And that's where ISD felt and the school principal felt
that we needed to do something, especially
during school hours.
They're really short span hours, especially in the
afternoon.
It's not the whole day that it's required for.
So if we can restrict parking in this particular segment,
then that would really alleviate
some of the major concerns that are happening today.
A lot of people are parked on Croydon Street up and down
just to be able to get in line
to pick up their kids here too.
So it's not that parking is not available.
So parking is available along this segment and then on this
side of Hanover too.
There's a lot of parking where parents can park.
There's parking on this side where parents can park and go
pick up their kids.
So it's not that there is no available parking in the area.
It's just that this becomes an operation hazard if there
are cars getting in and out here
as well people lined up here.
So this particular segment gets congested.
So that's why this item is in front of the commission today
is if we, the staff recommends
restricting this parking, especially during school hours,
that way cars can line up appropriately.
The operations can be safer for kids.
There's a crosswalk here and there was a lot of confusion
here also because of the parked
cars.
So that would go away and it would make much safer space.
Rest of the day it's fine.
You can park it anytime.
You can move through that area.
It's no issue.
But during school hours.
And I think they need to, they want to move forward as soon
as possible.
Now that the school will be over in a month or so, starting
next school year they want
to dis-implement it.
And that's why we brought this item forward.
Any questions?
So that straighter stretch of Hanover allows for pausing.
So you can stop, remain in your car, but it's the dog leg
up there where parking, just that
little tiny dog leg up there where you can park, leave your
car.
Correct.
Yeah.
I don't know why it was not considered originally.
Probably the operation here was much smaller back then when
only this segment was considered
because the amount of cars lining up ended here most likely
.
Now they go all the way back onto Windsor.
Especially that 15, 20 minute, it's just a 15 minute peak,
but it's not, it's what is
creating issues, especially with the residents.
And we had contacted residents along Hanover who will be
impacted for this parking area.
But most of them don't use it.
So we've already sent them letters saying, "Hey, there will
be school time parking restrictions
that we're considering.
If you have any issues, show up to the meeting or send us
some concerns."
But there were none concerns.
I don't think there's any concerns.
So are they asking for no parking or no stopping?
No stopping and parking.
Everything.
During the school hours.
So that's also eliminating that as a pickup point.
Oh, actually, you're right.
The pickup is fine.
The stopping is fine.
Yes.
No parking.
Because I drive that every day.
No parking only.
Also, just kind of a related question.
Have you looked at all at the parking on Croydon?
Curves.
Because right now it's parking on both sides.
Correct.
And most of the time, most cars, if they're parked on both
sides, you can really only
get one car in between them.
So that's two-way traffic with only one car space in
between.
Which is super fun at that time.
People walking down the middle of the street at the same
time.
And the way the streets were designed, and this is back in
the day, is it accounted for
a residential street that didn't actually design it for it
to be parked continuously
on both sides.
There would be intermittent parking, and that would help
calm traffic down.
That's a part of a traffic calming thing.
If you take out parking, then the traffic calming will go
away.
People will start speeding.
That's the first side effect or impact of removing parking.
I understand there are times when there is only one car
that can pass through.
But typically if there is enough space that emergency
vehicles can go through that, then
we're not considering it as an immediate operational issue.
Because there are a lot more streets that are less than
this width available.
So those are, I think, higher in the priority.
I understand your concern.
And I think the way these streets were designed is all
these single family were supposed to
park on the driveways or in their garages.
But it's changing neighborhoods and changing the way people
use their facilities.
Are there sidewalks on Crichton?
I couldn't tell.
I don't believe there are any sidewalks.
There's still a little bit up where the winds are in.
Yeah, there are no sidewalks there.
How many students do we think walk or bike to school and
would working on sidewalks in
that area maybe encourage parents to have more of them and
maybe possibly take a few
of the cars out of the mix?
I think one of the things that we are looking at is the
city has an SRTS plan.
And part of that will have, especially in this neighborhood
, which is much older, wasn't
really constructed with sidewalks in mind or pedestrian
travel or nothing.
They expected kids to walk to school but without sidewalks.
But yes, that's long term.
We have an SRTS plan.
And you're right.
If we start implementing some of the pedestrian facilities,
we'll get better or lower car
numbers.
But this is one of the main trails.
And a lot of kids that are let out at this intersection
directly go across and walk through
the park.
So this kind of connects to a lot of the other portions of
the neighborhood.
I've noticed a lot of them.
They either come from either part to the center or the kids
from the north side come down
the sidewalks in Windsor.
And those are connected by sidewalks.
Those are connected by sidewalks.
And there's a bike lane in Windsor.
Windsor has a bike lane.
It's buffered.
It has parking.
It has a lot of...
It's a safer walking area.
Windsor definitely.
Any other discussion on this item?
Does anyone want to make a motion to send this to council?
I'll motion.
Second.
Okay.
Everyone in favor?
Aye.
Okay.
Passes unanimously.
It will go on to city council.
Item 1C, TSC 18-022 is to receive a report, hold a
discussion regarding existing at grade
railroad crossings and the proposed quiet zones in the city
of Denton.
Pre-time?
All right.
This is more of an informational item.
There is no action on this particular item.
I wanted to get all the members well versed with what's
happening with quiet zones.
A lot of times things are said and then they're lost for a
few months, a year goes by and
everyone's wondering what's happening with quiet zones.
Just want to give a quick update.
All these little circles, red circles are at grade cross
ings within the city.
And there are different railroads going through the city.
This one that's going across is the UP which is our main
area of concern.
Not necessarily area of concern, but this is the highest
traveled.
It has 25 or 26 trains a day, which is fairly high, every
train going by and having a horn
along this busy area which is downtown area.
This is the Kent City Central KCS railroad and then this
one is the DCTA.
All crossings along DCTA are quiet zones.
When DCTA went in they implemented quiet zones for all of
them.
So it's a good start.
We already have nine locations that are quiet zones.
And then we are currently working on the four downtown ones
and that's the next picture.
So we're working on the four in the downtown area.
These are really located in a denser area and the
projections of these horns are targeted
such that they hit neighborhoods, especially the one that
turns after Hickory Turn, the
train turns and it hits the whole north side where the TW
campus is.
So there is a larger impact due to these horns.
Any train that's coming south impacts this particular
neighborhood down here.
And that's why I think about two or three years ago these
were identified as the major
concern areas.
So these were picked as part of the downtown segment.
There is another set of crossings that were picked in the
northern segment.
I'll talk about it in a little bit on the north side.
But on this one what we're doing is we're currently working
with Union Pacific to implement
quiet zone.
Now what happens in a quiet zone is you have to consider a
continuous set of crossings.
If you do quiet zone implementation at this particular
crossing and you don't do it these
which are within a quarter of a mile, then you lose the
impact even though this is quiet
zone, the harness still being sounded at this location as
well as this location which there
is no quietness in this area at that point.
So that's why you have to select a good chunk that's spaced
within quarter mile of each
other and that's how these were selected.
Now when we look at the improvements, they look at it as a
single entity.
If we improve this whole corridor as a whole, there's
definitely certain specific improvements
at each of these locations.
But if we fix one which is more, if we improve it more at H
ickory, it will fix the rating
for the others.
The way they design it, I mean UPRR is our main thing.
The steps in that is they take approximately 30 days to
have an initial meeting and evaluate
that all these particular crossings come up with safety
measures which are called supplemental
measures and I can show you what those are.
Supplemental safety measures can be adding arms or quadrant
gates, putting in raised
medians in the middle, one way street and then gates on
either side and then wayside horn.
So what wayside horns mean is instead of the train sounding
the horns, there are horns
installed at the corner and then they sound along the
street.
So they're much smaller than a decibel and there's very
little impact on the neighborhood.
It's down the street, it's like pretty much a horn on a car
, it's much lower decibel.
So these are the supplemental safety measures.
The reason they need these implemented is because if you
have a two-way street, they
do not want people swerving around and going in the wrong
direction if there is only gate
in one direction.
That's why they need the raised medians to separate that or
they need a four quadrant
gate which shuts out both.
And putting in some of these are really expensive like the
four quadrant gate, you can see it's
almost close to half a million at this point.
And then some of them are fairly cheap which is what the
city's recommended at this time
on most of these.
There are some gate improvements and relocation are hickory
but other than that there are
smaller improvements.
And pretty much the diagnostic team reviews it, comes up
with supplemental safety measures
and then UP goes back, designs it, it's a process for about
three months of designing.
They come back, they tell you, "Oh, it's going to cost you
a couple hundred thousand
or five hundred thousand."
Then the city okays it and then they go back and schedule
it for construction.
The whole process takes about two years.
We're currently in the first six, seven months and we're
asked UP to design it so they're
currently designing all the improvements.
And once we get the estimates we'll go to construction
right after that.
So that's where we're at on the four downtown locations
which are crossings at McKinney,
Hickory, Sycamore and Prairie.
I forgot to mention the names.
So starts here McKinney, Hickory, Sycamore and then Prairie
.
These four intersections, these four crossings will be
quiet zones, most likely by 2019 July.
That's our schedule, current schedule.
Now the remaining ones that are in the north side, there
are several in the north side
and I can zoom in into a map but we start here at frame.
There's one crossing, then there's one at Willis, Pertain
and then Mockingbird is one
more and I think we go on the other side of the loop
further.
So currently there is about a million dollars, little less
than a million dollars for these
northern zones.
We don't know how much will be required so once the project
is started, which is scheduled
to start this year, then we'll find out what the total
price will be.
But we're moving forward with that project but we're much
further ahead with the four
and the downtown area.
We have no plans along this particular line yet but this
will be considered in the next
bond election and see if we can start implementing because
this area, this neighborhood is growing
to here and there is a demand on this side too.
So that's where we're at and if you have any questions for
the quiet zones.
So 350,000 is coming from the bond?
Correct, that was the 2014 project.
I remember the same information that was presented to the
bond commission and there was some
sort of like cone of silence thing.
Was that the horns that are actually at the intersection
would create a--
So this is the noise cone created.
This probably is what you saw.
So this is how further the noise travels.
This is the rail and these are the four locations in the
downtown area.
So when a train comes by all the way up to almost a city
hall on this side and you get
up to Bradshaw on the other side.
That's how much further the noise travels but if you
install supplemental measures,
the wayside horns are pretty small.
So this is how big the cones are for the wayside horns.
And they're only impacting stuff along these particular
streets which are mostly commercial,
nothing at nighttime.
Yes?
Does the positive train control have anything to do with
this?
Not necessarily the quiet zone.
Yeah, that is something they implement and it has every
railroad track or every segment
they have a specific speed that they go by and I think
positive train control is associated
with the speed that they're traveling.
It has nothing to do at grade or the train horn.
This is per FRA requirement, Federal Railroad
Administration requires every railroad to
do this no matter what kind of equipment or trains they're
running for safety.
All right, any questions?
Any other questions?
I'm so spoiled because I live just far enough away that I
can hear it in the distance and
I love the way it sounds but I also know I wouldn't like it
if it were right outside
my window.
But I like that sound in the distance but that's the luxury
.
It's in the distance for me.
It's at a distance, yeah.
You would still get the line on the west.
West of us, you would still hear.
Yeah, okay.
Because I can hear that.
I have, yeah.
Yeah, I think the event center here, the new one would not
like that.
All right, any other questions?
All right, thank you for that one, Preetem.
We'll move on to 1D which is TSC 18-023.
Receive a report and a whole discussion on the fiber optic
communications master plan
for the city's traffic signal system.
All right.
Yeah, this is probably going to be a little bit technical
but I'll try to make it more--
less technical.
So what happens is typically traffic signals, we have
signals all over the city and it's
hard to see but if you zoom in into this map, all these
green dots are signalized intersections
that we want to connect.
So the final goal for the city is to establish a traffic
management center where you have
one location that all these traffic signals are connected
to and someone sitting in that
management center can actually look at what's happening
because they have cameras on each
of these intersections, then manipulate or make changes to
the signal timing, whatever
direction is needed at time, remove time and at the same
time, continuously monitor if
there is-- if there are incidents, if there is an accident,
be able to provide more green
in those particular directions where the traffic is clogged
.
So that's the ultimate goal.
That's the dream of getting a management center established
and getting the whole data back
to this one place.
Currently, we don't have that kind of capabilities.
What we currently have, we have 121 intersections that are
signalized.
We can communicate and talk to about 80 signals in the city
and that's through radio communications.
So in radio communications, the amount of data that radio
can carry is limited and it's
slower.
So if we start adding cameras and camera feedbacks, all
those are going to need more bandwidth
and we don't have that.
The only way to achieve it reliably is to set up a fiber
network.
And so what happened is back in-- I think it was back in
2007, there was a grant-- call
for grant and we applied as a city and we received grant
funding for creating a master
plan for our fiber network and the traffic management
center.
And this is part of the master plan.
It's laid out such that it is defined in different rings
and loops.
So if I cannot get the information through one loop, I will
get it through some other
loop that exists.
So that's why it's designed that way.
And finally, we came up with the master plan.
Once we had the master plan, we had only enough funding
remaining which is still a lot of
funding, $1.8 million.
But we had only enough to fund the first phase of the
project.
And the first phase was to connect along Bell Avenue to
down Colorado.
So along Mingo, Bell, all the way down then come to the DC
TA center, go along the DCTA
track, this is Colorado, connect to the loop because we
felt that this area was way more
congested and needed more monitoring to begin with.
So connecting to the loop was important.
So we formed that connection.
And then there was another project that Textile was working
on US 380.
So we asked them to install some conduits.
So the conduits already installed on US 380.
So we'll be connected to that.
So this is the entire first phase.
And it's going to cost about $1.6 million to get this thing
done.
So this is out to bid and we received bids and it's going
to the city council for May
22nd for approval.
And hopefully right after that, we get the construction
started.
So once we get the phase one, we'll have all the major
corridors, which is US 380 this
segment, loop 288 connected to one location.
And then we can slowly bring in Eagle, Oak and Hickory and
some of these outliers that
are further away.
We'll slowly get them connected.
But once these are connected with fiber, we can actually
monitor them remotely.
If there are any complaints or issues, we get a lot of
complaints on signal timings
and signal not working right.
We can actually reduce the amount of effort by an initial
step, just going out and checking
it at the management center at one location where the -- it
would be our servers that
are housed.
That's where we would check what's happening with those
signals.
And if there is an anomaly, they can fix it right there and
then.
But if really someone needs to get out, then they will go
out.
Currently what happens is you get something, you have to go
out and check it out.
Here we'll get the chance to perform a middle step and
avoid if they have -- improve efficiency.
That's the primary goal.
So we're planning on getting this constructed in the next
six months.
I think once the council approves, we'll start the
construction soon.
That's where we're at with this one.
Any questions?
>> Any questions, comments?
>> Comments.
>> All right.
That's easy.
>> That was easy.
>> Okay.
Thanks for --
>> It was too technical, I know.
I'm just --
>> My head is spinning.
All right.
That gets us to item 1E, TSC 18-024, which is our staff
reports, including our matrix.
>> Okay.
Yeah, I think pretty much most of these items are still
there.
I think they're still viable concerns.
And moving forward, we have a plan, like the small area
plan is going to address some of
these concerns.
And some of these, like, for example, Mingo Road and
sidewalks on Mingo, these are addressed
through larger projects.
We're currently working with city management to get these
in the -- either in the bond
program or somehow get them designed so that we can find
funds through partnership with
TWU.
They have a golf course on the north side.
We're meeting them regularly.
They have a master plan, too.
I think -- I'm not sure if there is any particular one that
someone wants to talk about, but,
yeah, these sidewalks, missing sidewalk links, we are
working on it.
For example, the McKinney sidewalk, it's on the -- it's in
design.
Actually, the design will be awarded May 22nd for the 2018
sidewalk package.
It's included in that.
So once the design is complete, then we can construct it.
It's on the path.
Sidewalk and Calhoun --
Can I ask about that one real quick?
Yes.
Do you -- I think we talked about it last time.
Are there any other features part of the sidewalks?
Is it just sidewalks?
Are there trees?
Are there anything else?
I think we talked about this.
Currently, it is just sidewalk because that's the plan.
But I think long-term, for example, Elm and Locust, when we
go through the process of
getting it back from Tech Start and getting it redone, we
are actually planning on going
through the process of what can be done, because there are
a couple things happening on there.
We're going through a drainage project, PEC 4, which gets a
lot of these properties out
of the floodplain.
So that's why we're looking at complete streets along that
as part of that.
So this long-term, yes, we'll look at complete streets.
Yeah.
It's interesting.
Businesses are starting to move in on McKinney after a long
time.
There's a new taco place right across the street now that's
opening, I guess, in a couple
weeks.
So that's two businesses that have opened recently there.
Any other particular one that -- or anything that needs to
be added?
Yes, so that one we looked at.
And one of the concerns -- it's a valid one.
It's currently under construction.
There are new crews moving in every day, moving along
certain -- so I think they went through
sewer, water, and now streets is coming in.
So once streets comes in and paves, we'll have the new stri
ping put in.
At this point, when we're so close to ending the term for
the university, it doesn't make
sense to stripe something or put some markings and signage.
So we're waiting on streets to come in.
So it'll be probably a few months before we get there.
Sorry, it's just the timing.
We don't want to waste resources and then come back and
everyone's going to say, "Well,
you just put it in and you tore it up like next day."
We don't want to do that.
Especially on a highly visible area like that corner.
But we do agree that part of it shouldn't be parking.
We've already talked to UNT about enforcing.
I sold some tickets.
We called them UNT and we need to start enforcing this
facility.
Really?
Yeah.
Okay.
I did mention it to our parking folks, but I thought it was
a UNT area that they needed
to enforce.
But it was a city that could at least --
But it was right down here.
They had a ticket there.
I saw the guy doing it.
And then further up, it's by parking from the fire plug.
They gave that person a ticket.
But it's spotty.
Yeah, they don't have enough staff to keep up with the area
.
It's too big.
I think that fire hydrant at the corner of Frye and Hickory
, it's tough because it's
set back.
It's in the green area on the other side of the sidewalk.
And students aren't looking that far.
So it's the other fire plug.
They moved that one back.
Yeah.
And they're going to miss it.
While talking about that area, what's the status or the
completion plan for Hickory?
When's that supposed to open back up?
And are they then going to work on it again?
I think the completion plan is 2019.
I can get you a date on that.
It's on the website.
But just even reopen Hickory right now between UNT and the
square.
So it's been closed for a while now.
UNT and square.
Yeah, so what's happening is there are different entities
working through it.
So Streets is working on the North Texas Boulevard side
while they're wrapping up with sewer
and water on the other end near Carroll.
So that's why there's a UC construction all over in
different segments.
But actually the crews are moving in one at a time.
So one crew is going in doing water, then the next crew
goes in to sewer.
That's why there are certain segments closed in different
locations because there are different
entities working in that area.
I can get you a schedule.
And there are certain times that they will be closed and
opened up.
But we try and keep it open as much as possible.
It's a matter of safety.
And then is there going to be a repaint?
So the bike lane's kind of gone now that was put in because
they tore it all up.
So the bike lane is gone.
And now the street looks worse than it did before.
So I mean, I've said this a million times.
I think it's the most important stretch.
It connects our two urban areas.
So and it's been...
It's the growing pains and it gets worse before it can get
better.
That's where we're at.
So is it, but after the, I know the sewer work and all that
has to be done after that's
done then is it...
The street is coming right behind.
They started at North Texas.
So I think they're doing the first phase for streets right
now.
So they'll pave and they come in and then they'll do the
signs and markings all.
But there's no changes to the sidewalks during that one?
Is it just the street?
No, there'll be replacing...
It's on the maintenance side.
So they'll be replacing some of the panels which are broken
, some of the curb and gutter
which is broken.
So I think they have about 50% replacement as needed for
maintenance, not putting in
any new...
If there are missing gaps that are really small, they'll do
that.
But if there are longer gaps like one block, two block,
three block, they won't do that
under the contract that they currently have.
But maintenance wise, they'll replace all the panels and
driveways.
I think you're aware of that part.
I am aware of that part.
So I live on Oak Street and I've been meaning to commend
you guys for sending out the actual
schedule for the road work on Hickory because otherwise you
would have had a lot of pissed
off people calling.
But now we know exactly what to expect.
It's going to get way better.
We're working on the transparency and communication plan.
It looks like you're on schedule.
It is.
The street work already started on Hickory.
So yes.
And it looks good.
You're doing it one lane at a time.
Yes, they're slowly moving.
They have to keep the traffic moving.
They can't be.
So it's kind of a slower process.
But the next part is the signal at Oak and Jaygo and Oak
and Fry.
That's coming up.
I mentioned about it before, but that's coming up.
And you're putting in a pedestrian crossing.
Everything.
88 ramps, pedestrian crossings, everything.
And then I was getting back to the matrix.
Is Malone ever going to be drivable or should I just get an
SVA?
You want to schedule for when it's going to be reconstruct
ed?
Yes.
I'm getting flat tires driving down Malone.
It's been chewed up so much with sewage and things.
Well, Preetem has his pen out.
Does anybody else have anything to add to the matrix?
Cody?
Well, not necessarily to add.
I think some of it's already on there.
But I was asked by my neighbors to ask about the left turn
lanes and timing for Old North
and Nottingham at University.
So Old North and...
Old North at US 380?
Yeah, 380.
And then also Nottingham at 380.
So we already have Old North and 380.
It's not currently under design, but it'll be under design
pretty soon.
It's part of the small transportation projects that was
approved by the city council, so
we have funding to put left turn lanes there.
So as a first stage, we're going to put the left turn lanes
.
One of the concerns that was brought up is are we also
adding protected left turns, like
the signal?
And that may or may not happen because currently the data
shows that there are very few left
turners.
The main concern is people that swing to the side last
minute and try and go bypass the
person that's waiting for turning left because the left
turn is shared.
So I think that's the concern.
Once you separate the two movements, you can clearly see
who is in the through lane and
who is in the left lane.
I think there's a third factor in that right now is the
timing.
If you're turning left going east on 380, you're probably
going to be there for three
lights.
If there's anybody coming from the other side, because you
have the hesitation of left turn
and left turn and then the people going straight and
usually only about two cars from each
side get to go.
And that was the biggest thing for my neighbors.
I think we can fix the timing.
One of the things that's happening is we're re-timing the
US 380 corridor as part of coordination
and that might be an issue that comes up.
So we have to fine tune the timings and we might have to
change it.
Is there anything else?
I have one item.
I just like to always pick my favorite spots, the low
hanging fruit in the core of spots.
Sycamore and Wainwright.
The new apartments were built there on Sycamore, I don't
know, a year and a half, two years
ago maybe.
And so we have just that little spot where the sidewalk
ends and it's only about 10 feet
to have a continuous sidewalk all the way.
It would be a pretty good stretch and so I was thinking
that.
And I don't know what the...
Do you know the address?
Sycamore and Wainwright.
What side of Sycamore or is it on Wainwright?
It's on the opposite side of the church.
So right, it would be on Sycamore.
On Sycamore?
I could look at the address of these apartments.
It's right where they built the new parking lot for the
church right there.
It's on the other side of the street towards those
apartments.
I've got it pulled up here.
Missing site.
Let's see.
I don't know what the actual address would be because there
's no building at that corner.
You've got a 412 Wainwright up there.
Is that...right here it is.
Let's see.
Yeah.
I think that's...
It's on the other side of Sycamore.
Yeah.
That's 414.
Is it?
Let's see.
Right there.
Maybe.
No, that's a good one.
I mean, we can definitely...
It's just a simple one and then the sidewalk will be
connected all the way through to Locust.
Definitely.
Okay.
Does anyone else have anything to add?
Are we good?
Okay.
Do we have any concluding items?
Yes.
We just...Trey's gonna help me with that.
We just found out today...was it today or yesterday we got
the email?
We got today.
Yeah.
From Nancy.
She has resigned as of today from the post of commissioners
...commission.
She is no longer in the committee.
That was a choice.
She's retiring apparently, so she wants to retire
completely.
So we're...how do we move forward?
That's the question for Trey as far as the members.
We'll go through the city secretary and have council nom
inate for Blake.
So we'll bring forward the process and what happens and we
'll go from there.
So should we consider nomination or the city council will
nominate?
I should also point out that either this or next month will
be my last meeting.
I've already spoken to Keely about it.
And she's also appointing someone else because we'll be
leaving Denton.
Oh, wow.
Okay.
Unfortunately.
And so those will both be district specific then, right?
So the appointed by their councilor.
Yeah, I think Keely already has someone in mind.
She asked me to kind of give them the rundown of what goes
on.
When is the new council going to be sworn in?
Next week.
But we have a runoff, correct?
There will be a runoff.
I believe that's correct.
Yeah.
June 16th is when the next runoff happens for that new
member.
Another one would be added.
So we don't want to necessarily take care of all the empty
seats until after June 16th.
And so what are the two, so it's district two.
Is that right?
And then what was Nancy's district?
I don't know.
Yeah, we'll have to look at it.
We're sorry.
No, it's okay.
We're interested and then we can maybe recommend people to
those counselors who might be interested.
Do a process elimination.
I'm district one.
Are you?
Three.
I'm place six, which is that large.
Okay.
Then four.
I'm two, so that's five.
Yeah.
That seems probably right.
Yeah.
Okay.
If that is it, we will call ourselves finished at 617.
Thank you.
[ Silence ]