Okay, everyone.
It is Monday, September 17, 2018.
We have a quorum, and welcome to the September Traffic
Safety Commission meeting.
We have a big turnover of members, and so I'd like us each
to introduce ourselves right
before you put food in your mouth.
Tell us which district you're in, and if you have a
particular interest and that you are
hoping to represent on this committee.
We'll start with Henry after he swallows.
My name is Henry Jason.
I have a history of -- I'm sorry, speaking to you.
I thought I was loud.
Hello?
My career has been involved in civil service.
I was a political appointee myself.
I ran civil rights enforcement agencies, served on handicap
committees providing education,
legal opinions, general expertise to all segments of the
community, not just people who are
protected by law, but we also provided it to employers, to
transportation districts,
at all, so the people would get equal protection and equal
service.
All right.
Thank you.
Welcome.
Thank you.
Jeff?
Thank you.
Appreciate you all having me.
I look forward to working with you.
And that's a tough resume to follow.
I do not have that much of experience.
I've lived in Denton for over 30 years.
I have three children.
We've seen Denton change quite a bit, and with that, a lot
lately with the addition
of all the new highways, et cetera, to me, and just having
the experience I've had in
Denton and seeing all the changes and some of the things
that have changed that what
I thought were positive might not have come out that way,
and I was interested in this
position to just address some of the issues with the team
and our commission and try to
make it as fluid as possible as of right now with a lot of
the construction and things
that are going on.
It's not fluid in many places, and so I'd love to
contribute in any way I can on that.
All right.
Thank you.
Dan Kretke.
I originally was appointed by Kevin Roden and then reapp
ointed by Gerard Hutzbeth, and
I'm in District 1, live in District 1, so I think everyone
knows I'm a big walkability
advocate, love bike lanes, pedestrians, and in the urban
core, I hope Denton can become
safer and we can encourage more people to get out of their
cars and use other ways of
getting around, and if anyone's interested in those ideas,
I've really...
Jeff Speck's work, he has a couple books that are really
easy if you're interested
in walkability that have influenced me a lot.
Thank you.
A push to start?
Oh, you're good when you're green.
I'm good to go, okay.
Clay Thurmond, and I'm in District 1, appointed by Paul
Meltzer, and my interests are cycling
infrastructure.
I love the Safe Routes to Schools concepts, the linking
that's been done in some of our
city parks, and I'd like to see us develop a true bicycle
network of good infrastructure
in town.
My wife is disabled, so I am always keeping my eye out for
parking spots and places that
can be converted and general disabled access.
And I also am a motorist, so I see things that I may want
to bring forward.
All right, thank you.
I'm Patrice Lyke, and I live in District 3.
I'm about a seven-minute bike ride from here, cutting
through the Quaker Town Park.
My primary interests are with bikeability and walkability,
because I'm an 11-minute
walk from my office, and so that's really, you know, the
streets are what I pay attention
to, where I'm walking and where I'm biking.
I'm also the current chair of the Oak Gateway Small Area
Plan Steering Committee.
That's a lot to put out there.
But as a result of that, we've been really looking at
mobility, parking issues, and again,
you know, all the ways to make our streets safer in the
area that's been designated for
the small area plan.
Yes, my name is Jim Owen.
I'm a UNT bus driver, second career.
Moved here in 2010 to get connected, reconnected with the
family.
I got on this committee.
John Ryan put me on the committee.
I live in District 4.
I drive these streets every day with a 37-foot bus.
So parking and student responsibilities of how they do that
, and Hickory Street and bike
lanes and all that, it's important.
It's important for livability in this city.
It's in transition from just a little small town to
something a lot bigger, and we have
to plan for the future.
And also, Dan's vice chairman, Patrice, is the chairman of
the committee.
So I just wanted to mention that.
I've been on it since 2015.
So has she.
Thank you.
Hi, my name is Preetam Deshmukh.
I am the city traffic engineer, also the staff liaison from
the city side for this particular
committee.
And it's good to see a lot of folks are into overall
mobility as opposed to just moving
traffic.
And also another perspective of driving a big bus through
the town.
So different angles, different perspectives, and it's great
to have all these committee
members here.
Thank you.
Great.
All right.
Thank you, everyone.
So we have 1A, which is TSC 18-030, which is to consider
the approval of Traffic Safety
Commission meeting minutes of May 7th, 2018, and July 2nd,
2018.
Has everyone had a chance to look at the minutes?
And are there any corrections?
Or is there a move for approval?
I make a motion to move for approval as read.
Okay.
We have a motion for approval.
Anyone have a second?
I second.
Okay.
And we have a second.
So both sets of minutes will move forward as unamended.
Item for consideration 1B then is TSC 18-0 --
I'm sorry.
I was so excited.
Okay.
Everybody in favor?
Aye.
Okay.
Aye.
Okay.
Good to go.
All right.
So 1B, TSC 18-031, which is to receive a report, hold
discussion, and make a recommendation
to City Council for approval of an amendment of an existing
ordinance 2006-358 and updating
the associated interlocal agreement to allow University of
North Texas to enforce parking
regulations and restrict on-street parking to permit
parking along Kendall Street south
of Wilshire Street.
Thank you.
Once again, my name is Preetam Deshpuk, traffic engineer
for the city, and I really like maps.
So I can start here.
This is a general idea of where the campus is.
You can see all the highlighted areas and the street
covered within the campus.
I also have with me from UNT Chris Phelps, who is within
the transportation division
for UNT.
And if you have any specific questions as to why, how, when
, he might be able to dive
into those.
But overall, big picture, if you can see all the blues, and
here, currently UNT under that
existing interlocal agreement has the right to enforce
parking on all these streets, starting
with all the way from North Texas Boulevard to almost
Bernard in the east-west, but north-south,
if you see there are some streets missing.
And one of the recent developments that happened, and this
is why we're here, is to understand
that Kendal during the I-35E widening project, one of the
things that TechStat completed,
and this was in coordination with the city, UNT, and all
the stakeholders, that Kendal
was completely blocked off.
If you can see there used to be a connection similar to
what we have at New Sea here.
Now Kendal has a curb, and part of the reasoning behind
this was the property take in this
area as well as the big intersection signal where the right
turns are already backing
up into this particular intersection.
So it didn't make any sense to provide an access where
people would swing through lanes
and get into the far side.
It was a big safety concern.
TechStat was on board.
So this was completely shut down.
Subsequently UNT acquired this particular parcel, and they
already own the old second
save on this side.
They already own this particular parcel.
So they own property on either side of this particular
segment of Kendal Street between
Wilshire and I-35E Furniture Road.
And what they're requesting at this point is they better,
they need to have a better
control of parking.
If you see and zoom in, cars are literally parked every
which place they can find.
Especially their access around here, getting in and out,
access on this particular driveway,
general access at this intersection where you're looking at
line of sight.
And then also if you look at the existing parking, they're
trying to put in an administrative
services in here for UNT and their parking is restricted on
all sides.
And so they want to be a better control and use this
particular on street parking.
And what they're asking this evening is first amend the
interlocal agreement to add this
particular segment so that they can actually have control
over parking.
And then second restrict parking to permit only.
So if they can issue permits and those permitted people can
only park here, given that they
own property on either side, I don't see an issue or any
opposition from any of the property
owners that are not taking access off of this particular
street.
So currently staff recommends that commissioners approve
this particular item and recommend
to council for approving the restriction.
Any questions?
Any questions for Chris?
We'll be more than happy to answer.
Do you have to press the button when you ask?
No, actually if you leave it open, that's fine.
Green light's good light.
Curiosity, what's the working relationship for Denton
police and UNT officers?
Can we still tick it?
So given our parking enforcement staff, we're really low on
parking enforcement staff.
I think we have three officers at the most.
And given that in and around the campus itself, it is
really hard to keep on top of parking
enforcement.
This will be actually helpful if UNT takes over.
It will be a relief for our officers.
And there is coordination and interaction if there are
certain things that are really
illegal or something that UNT PD or Denton PD thinks that
you're in someone else's jurisdiction,
they'll coordinate and contact each other and make or
change the situation by enforcing
it.
Is that viewed as private property, campus?
I'm sorry?
Is campus viewed as private property?
It is a state property.
We don't necessarily have jurisdiction over the parcels
within the streets, but the streets
are public right away.
That's the city of Denton.
Very good.
Thank you.
So Preetem, looking at the map, this is just a quick idle
question, but all the red is
where they will eventually be hoping to?
They have not requested, but it will be on a case-by-case
basis, like the one that we're
currently looking at.
It's a really small section.
And we have come in the past, I think back in 2017.
Last year we came in for a smaller piece along Central, I
believe.
That's a direct access.
So I think Central is down here.
But yeah, it is on a case-by-case basis where we don't look
at the whole map and then the
red.
It just...
So that's their aspirations?
Red is aspirational?
Sort of.
Okay.
I'm just curious.
As the campus is growing, I think it makes more sense and
it's much more easier, especially
the enforcement side, because these are students that park
in this area, primarily, almost
90, 95% of students.
And on the enforcement side, if City of Denton starts
giving them parking tickets, all they're
gonna do is save it for three, four years and throw them
out and not really be enforced.
But university has a lot of more leverage.
They can actually withhold their degree at the end of
everything.
So...
Okay.
I would think that the fire department's in support of this
too.
Is that correct?
Correct.
Okay.
Because of the clearances?
Correct.
I think they'll get more driving space if clear up.
That is correct.
And then this, just a quick mention, this particular
closure here is mountable curb.
So fire department trucks can easily exit out here.
So mountable curb only for fire trucks.
It's not...
If you look at the...
If you are out there, any normal vehicle wouldn't dare to
go over this.
But if fire trucks are in this area, they can easily go
over and leave.
And then this area would be cleared off, especially from
emergency response standpoint, so that
no one's parking here.
That's the intent.
I have a question, please.
Yes.
So I just wanna make sure that I understand you correctly.
So the future they're gonna have that is an administrative
building.
And I'm not sure who's currently parking in that.
Kindle Street there.
But you said that they were suggesting that they're gonna
be parking in that building.
So is that correct?
Correct.
Okay.
So is that correct?
Correct.
Is that permit only for the administration or is it for
students and administration?
That's a good question.
Maybe Chris can help me there.
Chris, you might...
So again, thank you for the opportunity to be here.
My name is Chris Fowlis.
I'm the senior director for transportation services.
So the building is scheduled to open, I believe, in January
.
It'll be administrative, so it'll be faculty staff that are
there.
There's currently, I wanna say, 98 spots in there, but we
've got a couple 300 people going.
So they will utilize that lot.
They will utilize...
Just north of Wilshire next to the PD is a lot we just did
last...
I didn't wanna say December.
Oops.
December.
Yeah, this is lot 21 here.
This provides some parking.
But no distinction has been made, is it student, faculty,
or staff?
One thing to understand, if we make it for student parking,
faculty staff with their
permit can downgrade to park in that same spot.
You just...
You can't upgrade your parking.
So it really depends on the needs in that lot or are the
folks that are going over there
going to take away the parking that I have.
Student parking and whatnot, I have plenty of parking on
campus.
Contrary to what you hear, it may not be where you want it,
but I've got it.
And so we provide...
And I'm glad Jim's here because we provide upwards of 47,
000 hours of bus service to
help people move in and around campus so that they can go
to the remote parking areas and
then get to it.
But we've not had an actual distinction in terms of the
type of parking.
I will tell you that just north of Wilshire by the PD is
faculty staff.
So it's currently faculty staff parking, so it's not
student parking.
Just so...
Sorry, did you have a follow-up?
Go ahead.
I was just trying to understand, so you have...
There's like three sides of parking there that when you
remove or eliminate the ability
for those cars that are currently there to park there and
then put the administrators
or the faculty or whatever the permits you're going to put
in there, you're going to have
a lot of the same issues.
With the exception of the student parking, the parking is
going to be a lot more difficult
to get in there.
So it's not going to be a lot of parking.
It's going to be more of a parking.
So it's not going to be a lot of parking.
It's going to be a lot of parking.
So it's not going to be a lot of parking.
So part of what we do, and Central is a good example if you
're by there, we actually work
with the city to line out what that should be striped.
The clearances, you heard Preetem talk about the side
angles as you approach the curb,
and we enforce that so that folks can properly navigate the
roads.
I think the emergency access and egress is something that
is, I think, not just who gets
to park there, but crucially cleaning that up so that those
folks can get in and around
safely because I'm telling you, I see two cars, and I talk
to students when I see them,
and they've got this notion that if I'm over the line, it's
okay.
And so they're front bumpers over the line, but you have to
kind of tell them you've got
to be between the lines, not over the line.
And so it creates a lot of issues, and Jim can talk to that
as well as far as taking
a bus through campus and some of the challenges that you
have with that.
So hopefully it would clean that up and provide a better
experience for the area, and as well
as the incidental uses of folks coming up and down.
Thank you.
Yes, sir, you're welcome.
Just curious, what is, this is just a related issue,
obviously, because we have a lot of
people wanting to park in a small amount of space.
That's always, every college campus has that, but I agree,
sometimes the problem is exaggerated.
I was at TWU before UNT, and I could find parking on the
days I needed to without problem,
but that's just my experience.
But is there, so has UNT been working with the city, any,
to try to encourage alternative
ways to get to campus?
And is there some more, there's obviously a lot of bike
racks on campus, and they're
used, I mean it's actually jam-packed, it's pretty
impressive how many people are biking
to campus.
Is there anything else to encourage faculty and students to
not drive?
So that's a good question, and yes, our department is all
things, not just parking, but all things
related to moving about.
I'd like to think that this last year we worked pretty well
with the city on our bike share
that we just launched with the start of school.
We're partnering with VeoRide to provide that service.
We're actually working with them through the city to get
their application done, so that's,
three weeks into it has been well received on campus, so we
'd like to see that mature
out into the city, but we've got an agreement there.
We're part of the small area plan.
We've been working with the Oak Gateway neighborhood on
that.
I think there's a lot of good work to come out of that.
We're working with DCTA.
We have a promotion now whereby students, faculty, and
staff with their ID can now ride
the A train for no cost.
You can actually get off at Med Park and take the bus into
campus.
You can now go to the downtown transfer center, catch route
eight, and pretty much go directly
to campus.
We've made some changes on the bus service route six this
last year.
Now connects with Discovery Park.
We have faculty, staff, and students who are now utilizing
the train and the bus to go
directly to the final destination instead of having to come
to campus and transfer.
I think there's a lot of partnerships that we're looking at
above and beyond just internal
to campus.
I think that partnership with the city is important for us.
As Preeten mentioned, we were here last year looking at
Central.
I think that has worked out real well.
So I think from a departmental level, we're certainly
working well.
They know who we are.
We know who they are.
We communicate frequently.
On the overall big picture, we have quarterly meetings with
the UNT management.
As part of that, over the last year or so, we've
coordinated with them to better understand
the campus master plan for their facilities as well as the
overall transportation plan.
A lot of the elements within the transportation plan are
more focused and geared toward moving
people, pedestrian and bike access, and getting cars out of
the campus area and situating
them in parking lots that are on the fringe.
So we're looking at some options of closing some of the
streets also.
Once we get through the study, we'll bring it to the
commission and discuss it.
But we're going through a joint study effort where both UNT
and city are participating
in getting it actively complete.
I've seen some...
Oh, I'm sorry.
I just wanted to follow up on that.
DCTA, I know they're free until January.
That was the deal.
So what happens in January?
Does it go to that...
I've been a little confused about the pricing.
I thought I understood it and then it's been a little
confusing about it because previously
there was a two hour option and that could get you into
Dallas places if you're going
one way pretty well.
And I thought it was gone, but then I saw it back on the
app and so I'm a little confused
because that makes a big difference.
If you have to pay for the full day, it's like 12 bucks now
, whereas I could get to
Dallas previously for five.
So I was trying to figure that out.
So I can't speak to the interlocals between the fare zones.
I can't tell you that the UNT student ID card will get you
on any DCTA service with showing
that card through the fee arrangement that we have with DC
TA.
Once you get into DART or into the Fort Worth area, then
you've got to pay the respective
fare there unless you buy a regional pass.
And my understanding is it's better to buy it here locally
and then use that all over.
So it's not the seamless that we'd like to see, but I think
it's a step in the right
way.
What happens after January I think will determine what
happens with ridership and that through
the promotion.
I noticed your signs on the freeway directing people that
they could park at Med Park.
So I thought that's the first year I've seen that.
And I thought that was a really good idea for people who
are sitting there, you know,
stuck in traffic.
Well, thank you.
That's actually the second year we've done this.
The idea was to give people kind of a heads up before they
everybody has an idea where
they want to go park, but they don't have a plan B. And so
the signs on the road were
a way to just say, hey, go here.
And folks, it's interesting to watch people's habits,
especially when we have what is more
remote.
I can park you remotely and get you to class faster than if
you want to.
Some people just want to circle a lot just to circle.
And it was just an attempt to kind of help raise some
awareness.
Go here, go there instead of where you think you were going
to say these lots were full.
So you know, did it help?
I don't know if it helped one person, then it helped.
But at least the awareness is there to hit him before they
get into town.
Yeah.
And the Textile Project helped it.
Yeah.
You did.
And you know, this is the second year we've done the
promotion with DCTA at Med Park.
And we appreciate that partnership where folks that works
for them, they can go there, park,
go to they don't have to buy a permit.
When I took classes at UNT, I did not fund the department.
I did free parking on Oak and Hickory.
It worked for me.
I never got tickets either.
But, but, you know, just giving people options that that
really meet their needs.
And a lot has changed, especially if you've seen in the
last few years with online education,
a lot of people are coming to campus less frequently.
Therefore, they don't see the value in a permit.
So that's why we do the park mobiles and some of the other
options for hourly parking, that
if you're there, you know, a handful of times during the
semester, that's probably the best
value for you.
Unfortunately, as an auxiliary unit of the university, you
know, we have to we have to
raise our own funds to provide for the services.
We're not funded through any tuition or fees.
So so we have to we have to fight for that crazy dollar to
to provide the resources that
people want.
So
one more question is there going to be on street handic
apped parking for the by the admin building?
There will be parking in the building or in the lot.
Yeah, there'll be accessible parking in the lot.
But nothing on street.
Not unless it's required or called for.
So I don't have I don't have too much accessible parking.
It's all in the lots is where that's at.
So I haven't seen a need yet on campus that we haven't been
able to meet in a lot.
So and that's both kinds of parking, both just the
accessible and the van accessible.
So and we have we work we have an office of disability that
guides us and telling us,
you know, where we need to provide and do that.
So between those two partnerships with the city and with
them, we look to provide those
those resources.
Thank you.
Yes, sir.
You ready for a motion?
Thank you.
Is there any other discussion?
Everybody happy with questions and the answers?
OK.
I'll make a motion that we accept the staff recommendation
and pass this test.
You know, 31.
OK, we have a motion to recommend to we have a second.
OK, and we'll vote everyone who is in favor of accepting
this recommendation moving it
forward.
They I.
I.
Anyone opposed?
OK, unanimous.
Just for the minutes, I can't vote.
OK, I wasn't sworn in.
All right.
No voting from you.
All right.
Me too.
Oh, OK.
Thank you.
There's four of us.
Yes.
OK, that brings us to item one C, which is TSC 18-032.
Receive a report, hold a discussion and make a
recommendation to city council for approval
of an interlocal agreement with University of North Texas
regarding traffic signal operation
during UNT special events and upgrading traffic signal
equipment at four intersections within
the city of Denton.
All right.
Again, starting up with maps and these are the four
locations mentioned, but a little
bit of background.
As I mentioned and alluded to in the previous item, we
started coordinating real closely
with UNT staff and upper management a little over a year
ago.
I think it was May 2017.
And through some of those discussions, we really understood
or we were trying to understand
the needs for the campus as well as our master plan and the
city's infrastructure within
this area.
And what we found out that there was a request from the
police department at UNT to help
them operate some of these signals during special events.
Currently, they have police officers manning North Texas
Boulevard at 35E as well as Bonnie
Bray at 35E Furnage Roads.
You have seen in the last couple of years, I think that it
has grown from being a small
puny intersection at North Texas to this huge giant four
lane in each side, but then six
lane on the bridge.
And it becomes quite a task for officers.
The number of officers requires pretty high.
And talk a little bit of events.
They currently have UNT hosts between 40 to 50 events a
year.
These are the larger kinds, about 27 high school gradu
ations in May.
Then we're talking about 20 UNT, half of them in May, half
of them in December.
Six football games, those are huge.
There might be more if they get into some kind of
competition.
And then about five high school games, up to five high
school games in a year.
And one dent and fire show.
I mean, that's a big event too.
So with all these events happening every year, they
approach the city and request, what's
an alternative?
What can we do?
How can we get officers off of these intersections,
especially dealing events?
And how can we better manage it?
And part of the solution that was agreed upon is city would
jump in and help or provide
staff help during the event.
So when we started reviewing what the conditions of the
signals were, we required some upgrades
to actually be able to do that with a considerable less
number of technicians.
So we're requesting that this partnership between UNT and
city upgrades these four intersections
with cameras that we can watch the traffic with signal
equipment that we can actually
talk to remotely from a traffic management center and
change the signal timing, change
the phasing.
So part of the item here is to provide for partnering with
UNT and upgrade the equipment
of these signals.
The second portion is whenever these events come up, city
staff will be on an hourly basis
start working at an agreed upon rate.
There's a rate at the end of the agreement to man these
events.
So there will be one technician out in the street for these
two intersections, one for
this and then one technician up in a traffic management
center where we can remotely control
all of that.
So there will be eyes on the ground initially as we try and
figure out how these signals
are functioning, how they're operating.
And slowly once we get a hang and feel of it, we can go
back more remotely with just
the cameras zooming and tilting and then operating these
signal timings.
So primarily the operation needs to be operated when people
are coming in, which is approximately
half hour to 45 minutes before the event, a little bit of
trickle after that, and then
right after the event ends about half hour to an hour.
So we're talking about that kind of time for every event.
And financially it's much more feasible for UNT.
They're spending a lot more officer hours out in the field,
a lot more overtime.
So when the discussions begin, we offer the solution.
And Citi is on board helping UNT make it safer through the
events and manage them better,
manage the inflow and outflow of traffic.
And that's why we have this agreement, interlocal agreement
in front of us.
And staff recommends that we move forward with it and
execute the agreement so that
it would get the special events traffic situation much more
better.
Any questions?
Excuse me.
There was something in the document that I was reading at
home regarding a 30-day period
of notice before cancellation.
Where does the 30-day language come from?
I read everything.
I'm sorry.
That's a good question.
I think the language, let me actually get to the language,
but I think the language
was related to if we decide to go this path and if we
upgrade the equipment, and there
was a 90-day clause in here, if we upgrade the equipment
and within 90 days, if UNT does
not pay their share of the cost, which is 50% of upgrades,
then this agreement is invalid
because then we won't move forward with having to help them
because at that point, we went
ahead and spent the money as a city, but we're not getting
reimbursement.
It's a way to make sure that our time and investment is,
the agreement is followed.
I think we want a 50-50 partnership.
It's just a better legal way to look at it.
Right?
Can you just make a comment?
Yes, absolutely.
Yeah, I think it's a very important issue, especially since
North Texas continue to win
football games.
I agree.
I also like to make a comment.
I drove Eagle Point, which is the shuttle between the Union
and Apogee Stadium on the
first game with 30,000 people.
We had the backup on the bridge.
We had the backup in the north and south.
It was horrible.
So this is going to help.
Any other questions for pre-tem?
Any comments?
Does anybody want to make a motion?
We accept it.
Second.
Okay.
We have a motion to accept, to approve this.
We have a second.
And do we have a vote?
Everyone in favor?
Aye.
Okay.
That's all of us.
All right.
Okay.
That brings us to item 1D, which is TSC 18-033, which is to
receive a report, hold discussion,
and make a recommendation to City Council for restricting
eastbound right turn on Red
on Robinson Road at FM 2499 in order to improve safety.
All right.
So again, back to the map, and this is where we're at.
Brand new road, 2499, just wrapping up construction.
This was the last piece that was installed, a brand new
traffic signal at Robinson in
2499.
When this road was designed, it was designed within
residential neighborhoods, and I think
the way it was laid out was pretty restrained as to what
kind of right of way they would
get.
Fairly has its share of number of horizontal and vertical
curves given the grades.
So there are certain segments within the street that has
huge, you can see here, huge sound
walls, especially for someone's backyard backing into the
street with that kind of expected
traffic volumes, text-on design sound walls for everyone,
and I think it's up and down
the corridor.
If you actually drive the corridor, it goes all the way
south up until it reaches FM 2181.
And what has resulted in the restricted area for them to
design and implement this particular
arterial is the limited amount of side distance that is
available at some of the intersections.
I think Robinson Road is one of them, but there's another
one at Hickory Creek, and
Text-Dot, the city has worked with Text-Dot to temporarily
block the right lane so that
people can actually make the right out of Hickory Creek
Road.
But this is a similar situation, and I have some pictures
that Sarah took while she was
out there, and if only I can open it.
And this will help you understand what I'm talking about as
far as if you are at the
stop bar, and she's even past that crossing area for
pedestrians, you can barely see that.
This is the car in the last lane, which is the first
vehicle that's going to show up
when you move in, and it's barely 100, 150 feet at 50 miles
an hour, this is not a good
enough side distance.
You can see way back there, but that doesn't help who's
hiding behind this curve.
And you have to almost, let me show you another one, you
have, so this is where the actual
line is.
So if you stand back and not even scoot over and cringe
over, this is what you're seeing.
And this becomes a hazard.
I have received multiple complaints even, I think, from one
of our police department officers.
He was afraid for his daughter to make these turns.
And I was out there, we've talked to Text-Dot, and the
immediate fix at this point, since
this is private property, retaining wall, sound wall,
pretty expensive affair, the best
thing is to just have not people turn on red.
And the signal circles pretty fast, so if it doesn't pick
up traffic on FM 2499, it'll
circle back to Robinson.
So it's not a big weight behind anyone that really wants to
make that right turn movement.
That's why for all these reasons that you really don't have
the line of sight to make a safe
call to get, to turn right from the eastbound direction
onto southbound on FM 2499.
So staff recommends that we restrict this movement during
the red phase on Robinson
so that people are not really slipping in.
When they have green, they can definitely move forward.
Any questions?
What's the speed limit on Robinson?
I believe Robinson is pretty low.
It is in the 30 or 35, one of those, because it goes from a
two lane, just opens up here
and then...
Okay.
So it is in the 30, 35 range.
It's not even 40.
Okay.
And then what's the speed limit on 2499?
Text-Dot is still deciding that.
Oh, okay.
They conducted some surveys and they have initial data.
It's around the 45 range, but we're reviewing and going
back and forth with tech.
Given the terrain and the horizontal vertical curves, we
wanted to make sure that we put
a place to write speed limit.
They want 50.
How long has that sound wall been there?
A few months.
Oh, okay.
Yeah, I think December is when they wrapped up most of the
construction.
I believe in the last year or so, the sound wall was...
You can see, this is probably 2018 Google data.
It's still under construction, so earlier this year.
Do we have any development code guidelines for how tall
sound walls can be in the city
of Denton?
I mean, will this get to be a problem in other
neighborhoods that we can avert it now before?
Correct.
We are going through, as we mentioned a little bit earlier,
growing pains in the city.
That means currently, our arterials are not backed up to
someone's neighborhood.
We're not designing our tills after the fact, but sound
wall is something that has definitely
been brought up by some of the council members.
As our projects move forward, we're coming with designs,
but definitely we'll look at
corner side distance on some of them.
You're right.
I mean, moving forward, we need to have some kind of design
guidance on that, but this
is a textile facility.
Right.
Yeah.
Sometimes, if there will be a need for sound walls, we may
need a bigger easement so they
set back.
We have some clips set backs.
Yeah.
Did there have been a number of accidents at this
intersection?
I can find that number out, but to my knowledge, there have
not been that many because the
signal was not opened until recently.
It was always stopped.
That means everyone really had to come to a complete stop.
That was a good thing.
The minute the signal opened, we started noticing and we
started getting the complaints that
we might and visibility is not, so we're trying to act as
fast as we can and get it ahead
of anything happening here that's serious.
If it's recommended, we'll move forward with the council
and then immediately implement
it.
It is four lane at that point?
Two going?
Correct.
Robinson is four lane.
Okay.
Anybody have questions?
Concerns? comments?
I'll make a motion to recommend the staff recommendation.
Okay.
We have a motion for approval.
We have a second and do we have a vote?
Everyone in favor?
Yes.
Okay.
Once again, moving forward.
That is going to bring us to one E, TSC 18-034, receive a
report, hold a discussion and make
a recommendation to city council for approval of an
amendment for surface transportation
system project agreement for traffic signals, state
contracted and with the municipality
providing limited materials and or labor and or equipment
at the intersection of I-35E
and Brinker Road.
We specifically worded to make it difficult so that by the
time we get there, like, all
right, we're done.
On this project, this is a, I wouldn't say it's an after
thought, but it's definitely
something has happened to put it that way.
I-35E project went in with a widening project without
really having Brinker Road underpass
as part of their original project.
It was just have to do with the timing where this
particular development, which is the
Buc-E's, they came in slightly behind when I-35 widening
was already underway.
Once they came in, TechStop felt the need that we need to
do something about it.
If that connection is going to happen, then we have to look
at this connection as well
as down here if we need some improvements.
That was a second project that came about to existence,
which is currently under construction.
AGL wrapped up the big I-35 project.
They left town, but we never saw anyone leave because this
project was still going on or
picked up even before AGL left.
This is a TechStop project, second project, that comprises
of Loop 288 interchange upgrade,
which they're actually pretty close to putting the bridge
down on one side.
Brinker interchange, which will connect Brinker underpass.
The freeway will go over.
The last one would be a U-turn at Mayhill, which they've
already installed the U-turn,
Texas U under the bridge.
What had happened is in that particular project, they
designed Brinker at the Furnage Road as
a always stop sign.
City had to go back, fight it for a little while.
Then finally everyone realized it's not going to work.
They went into design at a later phase while this project
had already begun construction.
Now they're coming back and saying, "Okay, we'll install
signals."
That's why they need this amendment to add the signal
equipment that the city will provide
TechStop.
We have some specific equipment that the city recommends in
order to connect and communicate
with different signals.
That's the equipment that we will provide, and TechStop
will reimburse for those pieces
of equipment.
That's the amendment that was attached to signal
improvements at Loop 288.
Staff recommends that we move forward with this and accept
it so that we can get reimbursed
for the equipment that we're putting in by TechStop.
Any questions?
Yeah.
Excuse me.
I'm curious, what kind of light setup is it going to be?
Is it going to be exactly like you would have the Lily
Miller crossing or back down on Mayhill
as far as it going underneath the highway so you're going
to have lights?
Correct.
It would be the same setup as Loop 288, which will have two
lanes in each direction going
under the pass and then left turn lanes in either direction
.
Both of them will be signalized at the southbound furniture
as well as the northbound furniture.
They'll coordinate the same way the loop signal coordinates
the different phases.
That is also the main entrance to Buc-E's.
I think you can actually see that now when you pass by, you
can see they've already laid
out the entrance here.
It doesn't show up here.
So the lane entrance is literally at a light?
Literally this is a cross and this becomes their main
entrance for Buc-E's.
Do they have multiple exits from Buc-E's?
They do have access here, back here, and then they have
another access.
I think it's right there.
They have one access back here, but this is the main signal
ized entrance for Buc-E's.
So you get funneled right in?
That's the idea.
Instead of percolating back here or other places.
How many pumps are Buc-E's putting in?
I'm not aware of the number of pumps.
Probably between 75 and 100.
Typically there are 75.
The one in Austin is about 75.
So Chell's recommendation, but I mean how do you, I mean I
guess obviously I wasn't
here for planning and zoning or whenever that was happening
.
With the traffic studies that Buc-E's gonna change, how do
you think that that will affect
say the flow to Lillian Miller with all the Buc-E's traffic
that is gonna be sitting
right out in front of it?
So Buc-E's traffic is primarily.
I'm sorry, not to Lillian Miller, but down to State Hill
School because that's a one-way
road there.
Here at Mayhill and State Hill.
So Buc-E's traffic is primarily going to affect this exit
ramp, get on, do their Buc-E's,
do the Buc-E's thing and then get on back here.
Anyone that really wants to go north, they have an access
ramp here.
And then anyone that wants to get onto Buc-E's has an
access ramp here.
So it is fairly localized in this area, but big picture
impacts, there will be impacts
because of this interchange being in place at the same time
Buc-E's going in.
And the city is looking at a long-term projection and
looking at 20, 25 years in the future.
What are the implications?
And we have a traffic study conducted.
We're still not out with the results as far as what are the
implications.
We submitted the text offer.
We need them on board and once they're on board, there
might be some other more improvements
needed.
And part of that study clearly shows that a lot of this
traffic that's waiting here
may start using this as an alternative route to get to the
interchange in the freeway.
That's just my biggest concern of how they might just
change the traffic flow because
you already have the route that you just said, the
alternative route that they might take.
That's already backed up.
They're already backed up right in front of Buc-E's.
They're already backed up at State School on both sides.
And so if it's going to increase it even more, it just
doesn't seem like a viable thing to
do if we're trying to make traffic flow better.
I think the actual lane capacities on the 35E, once the
freeway really opens up to three
lanes, which is what it was intended to, but it didn't
really go all the way to three lanes
in each direction just because this project was coming
behind and it would have disrupted
everything.
So the contract for this particular segment to be from May
hill all the way to Loop 288,
just north of Loop 288, that segment was never upgraded to
three lanes in each direction.
It was always kept two lanes because the amount of
disruption, the new interchange here, the
fill and level change.
So once the freeway is back to three lanes in each
direction and the connections are
appropriate, I think it'll be much more better than what
you see today.
It's pretty backed up because of the two lanes and the
construction at the same time.
Now, I was talking more specifically Mayhill and both sides
of Lillian Millen.
You're talking about these intersections?
Yes.
Just to give you an update, there's another TechStop
project to update this interchange.
It was never the part of I-35E project.
This bridge width was never widened.
So now they're going to, since they've completed 249.99
coming in, and this is a wider segment
with two lanes in each direction.
They're thinking of widening this bridge, which is a choke
point at this point.
So that's a new project that is currently kicking off
design.
So in a couple of years, it should go to construction and
should be done.
Yeah, there are a lot more projects going on.
Any other questions?
Any questions, comments?
All right, do we have a motion?
Come on, Dan.
I can't call it this week.
Huh?
I can't call it.
Can I?
Call the motion?
Right, because I can't vote this week.
So I guess you can't call the motion.
I'll make a motion to approve the staff recommendation for
TSC 18-034.
Okay, we have a motion to approve.
Do we have a second?
I'll second, otherwise we're going to be in a mess.
Okay, we have a second now for a vote.
Do we have a second?
Okay, so we have two votes to approve the amendment.
Aye.
And opposed.
And a no vote.
Okay.
Wait, I'm sorry.
Why are you not voting?
Is that not an option?
No, sir.
Sorry, under the rules that council has promulgated, unless
you actually have like a recusal because
of conflict of interest or something.
In my thought process on that was just I would like to have
seen a lot more information regarding
that.
It's probably not good.
It's here today, out of brand new, so I didn't have the
chance to study it in the past.
And so with that, I thought I might be able to abstain, but
that's not an issue.
I'll say nay, and it doesn't matter.
Okay.
So do you want us to revote?
Do what?
Do you want us to revote?
To be official?
If he's voting nay, then you have to vote three to one.
Okay.
Here we are.
Okay.
I'm going to leave early.
Okay.
Wait, did you say motion fails?
Okay.
That means we won't get reimbursed for $30,000 from Tech
Stop.
That's the bottom line implication of this.
And we will spend the money, but we can go to council.
You swear us here?
Would you reconsider your vote?
Because we're losing $30,000 from TechStop.
Yeah, we won't be reimbursed for that $38,000.
Yes.
When you have it, when you're doing it, if I can reconsider
my vote, I will because it
doesn't matter.
He didn't understand that implication of it.
Okay.
Yeah, I'm sorry, I did not hear that.
Okay.
Yes.
Do we have three votes?
We have a motion to reconsider in a second.
I'll make a motion to reconsider.
Second.
Okay.
So we will reconsider our vote.
Oh, take a vote on that.
Okay.
I'm sorry.
All right.
Sorry.
Okay.
So first we're going to vote on whether we will reconsider
the vote.
So all in favor of reconsidering the vote.
Aye.
Okay.
So we will have another vote on whether we should approve
this item, TSC 18-034.
So do we have a motion to approve?
I'll make a motion to approve.
I second.
Do we have a second and a vote?
Everyone in favor?
Aye.
Here we are, four.
Thank you.
Okay.
Now that brings us to actually the most fun part, which is
the matrix.
So item 1F, TSC 18-035, staff reports of the matrix.
So since there are so many new members, I just want to
quickly outline what we do here
with the matrix and what are the intentions and how do we
track it or what are some of
the outcomes of this particular process.
A matrix is a list of different items, different issues
that you really want to -- more information
or see something done, action.
Say, for example, you want to sidewalk at some location.
What are the ways you get there?
You put it on this matrix.
We have a discussion.
At some point, if you want to, you can convert that item
into a full-blown discussion item
where you have -- you can bring an AIS and have a full ag
endized item because if it's
not on the agenda, we can't really go into the depths of
why and how and where.
So this is a starting step for anything that you really
want to move forward and get things
done or want more information on.
So these are the list of things that we've been tracking
for long -- some of them are
a pretty long time.
We can start cleaning it up.
We can start a new one.
We can consider changing some of the format, but this is
what we have.
And there were some requests that were made in the past by
some of the commissioners and
they're in here, but what we've started doing is under each
of these requests, we've started
saying what improvements or how would we address it or were
we considering some of these things.
For example, if we can -- let's jump to item number two
because that's much more easier,
parking on Myriad Street between Oak and Scripture.
That's within the Oak Gateway Plan area and as part of that
specific plan, they're studying
parking and traffic as a big picture approach to how do we
fix it, what are the ways we
can do it.
So this item was brought in and then, yeah, we're currently
with the specific plan underway
that is going to come up with ways to address the issue on
this particular street.
So those are the things that we're tracking.
Typically in a meeting, I hit on the newer ones where some
of them are highlighted, newer
responses, and then after that, any new items that you want
to add will be added subsequently.
So that's the process.
I can start with item six because there's an update on that
and just a quick aerial
map, my favorite part.
So there was a request about sidewalks and safe pedestrian
passage along Mingo.
This is the stretch of Mingo we're talking, all the way
from Old North which is here to
the campus, T.W. campus, Bell, so -- which is right here.
So part of that, I think main concerns are this particular
area where a lot of T.W. students
live in these apartment buildings and some of them here and
then the campus is right
here.
And typically they have to go around on university or then
they have to walk in the ditch around
Mingo if they're closer on this particular edge.
What we're currently doing is working with T.W.U. with
their master plan and their interim
phase is actually looking at reusing some of these golf
course paths and we are partnering
with them to see how we can connect these to the street and
then bring them in and provide
smaller connections.
That way this will create pedestrian areas for them to walk
around instead of being on
the street and getting on the street they will be easily
connected.
So that's part of the solution, interim fix.
Eventually we'll come back and widen Mingo and the sidewalk
will be part of Mingo.
Item number --
>> While you're on that.
Will that incorporate some bicycle paths when you're
talking about widening?
>> Widening Mingo.
Definitely bicycle is a consideration on most of our
projects.
We're putting a multi-use bike path on Bonnie Bray, May
Hill, all the big projects.
Anything that we design we try and implement some multi-use
paths and/or bike lanes.
It's a combination.
>> Because I use Mingo right there to bicycle into town
sometimes.
>> Okay.
>> And also while you're on that, that corner also as I'm
driving down Riddell and approaching
that stop sign, the fencing, just a little bit back, you've
got the several couple of
light poles, utility poles, and that fencing as you're
coming up kind of prevents a little
screen just right about there from car viewpoint.
And I was looking at it today thinking that if we could --
if you want to keep the fence,
that light pole on the right just past where the truck is,
if you move down Mingo just
a little bit.
Yeah.
Basically, if we go from that light pole where that truck
is right over the little bridge,
and if that fencing could be pulled back a little bit to
open up that corner for visibility.
>> Okay.
I'll add that as a separate item and then we can talk about
it next time.
I'll work with -- it's a TW Golf Course fencing.
>> Yes.
>> And I'll have to work with them to make sure that they
are okay with removing it.
>> Right.
Because you've got a couple of big utility poles and then
you've got this fencing that
creates a screen making it a little difficult to see around
there.
>> Okay.
>> Do you have any -- if we're going to be widening Mingo,
do you have a feel for when
that's going to happen?
>> We're looking at least two to three years before we can
design it.
We don't have the funds yet.
>> Okay.
Any talks with railroads for right of way for putting pads
and stuff on?
>> Yeah, that's pretty tough.
There's no way around that.
So let me update some of the other items that I really
wanted to talk about.
Item number 11, there were concerns of parking east of on H
ickory Street, Fry Street, cars
are parked not properly entering traffic.
It was an enforcement issue.
We've asked parking enforcement to go in there and put it
on their regular watch list.
They have a list that they continually rotate.
So we're trying to stay on top of that particular item.
It's a safety related.
The next item also, Malone Street, it's completely redone.
And bike infrastructure is in place.
We are working through that.
Some of the kinks of new configuration.
>> Malone and where?
>> The entire stretch of Malone between scripture and US 3
80.
Yeah.
That has a bike lane and it's been converted to a three
lane section.
The next item, item number 13, left turn needed at Old
North University, Old North University
in Nottingham.
We've completed the Old North at the university.
The left turns are in place.
They have separate left turn lanes.
And it seems to be working well at this point.
We're still monitoring it.
We just completed it last week.
The next one, Nottingham University is to follow.
It's in our next phase of small transportation projects.
So we're kicking off the design in a month, month and a
half to get that thing moving.
Number 14, we have reviewed and addressed it.
There were some issues with the traffic controller.
It was really cycling fast.
Didn't have enough green time for the cross streets.
And then we've addressed that.
So I'm going to remove some of these items that we've
already addressed and then next
time I clean up the matrix.
And then the last one we have added that, the 10 foot
sidewalk, we have added that to
our sidewalk gap list.
Typically, we add them up on an annual basis and set it up
so that we can package it and
send it out for design.
We're currently working on 2018 sidewalk design package and
then construction will start early
next year or probably mid next year.
And then 2019 is already under on the same path.
We're taking it to council for getting a design consultant
on board.
And then I just added fencing and mingling with the first
side distance.
Any other items that anyone wants to add?
Well, I'm going to have a question about cautionary 20s.
Is that what it's called?
Caution 20 or cautionary 20 mile an hour?
I believe there's one on scripture, but my neighborhood, E
agan, Congress, somewhat on
panhandle is getting more and more populated by families
with young children.
And we're close to Denton High, we're close to Calhoun
Middle, and this summer we had
another person who ran the stop sign, ended up in one of my
neighbor's yards and actually
hit her car first and then ended up in her yard.
And so there's three children that live in that house.
So any number of them could have been out there.
So is there -- we're working on this with our small area
plan.
But what else just from this perspective of our commission,
what can we think about, look
at, ask for so that we've got multipronged approach to
making that area in particular
safe?
And these are little kids.
They're going to be there for a while.
So the orange caution, children playing kinds of signs, how
do those even happen?
So a couple things.
Quick response to this.
I can't really discuss much in detail, but putting a sign
out there is not going to help
because they're going to look at it and just ignore.
That's the first approach.
20 miles an hour, typically according to our ordinance, can
only be a street adjacent to
school or hospital or park.
We can't really have a 20-mile on our cautionary speed
anywhere other than that ordinance area.
And I can give you the specifics.
That's one thing.
What we're doing, and the second two-pronged approach, is I
've talked to several residents
in that neighborhood and several other neighborhoods, and
we are looking at a traffic calming toolbox
where we go to communities, subdivisions, areas similar to
yours, and present the toolbox.
These are the options.
These are the pros and cons.
Compact circle or compact roundabout, bulb outs, islands,
other pavement markings, signage
striping.
All these options will be laid out, and once we come up
with what are the preferred options,
we can look into how do we fund them and how do we
implement them.
So that's an approach.
We are going to start.
I'll probably bring an item in the next meeting or the
following with the whole traffic calming
toolbox as to what's entailed, what are the pros and cons,
and then that's something that
we can -- I'm going to start going to each community and
presenting and let them have
a weigh-in on what happens in their community.
That's a better way of controlling speed and cut-through
traffic, is making sure that it
becomes a really localized area where people really are
forced to slow down as opposed
to just signage that doesn't really help much.
So if you're coming in at a really narrow angle and close
down the -- almost close down
the intersection, you have to slow down.
>> It's going to be a little bit of a sea change in
mobility attitude in order to do
that, which I'm all in favor of.
>> We have to create the right guidance for them to change
the behavior.
Slow process.
>> I'm also wondering, now that we have Mark, too, if the
city has completely given up on
discussing the stop is yield sign -- stop is yield for bicy
clists, the Idaho stop.
>> We'll look into that.
I can't really answer that right away.
>> It's okay.
>> What was the -- what's already been discussed?
>> Nothing.
>> Okay.
I would love to see that.
>> Stop signs and yield signs for bicycles.
>> But yeah, basically, yeah.
>> Yeah.
Right.
>> And especially --
>> Changing their behavior, too.
>> I'm sorry?
>> Changing their behavior, too.
>> Yes.
Yes.
Well, and especially as we are having more of our streets
being, you know, bicycle -- you
know, bikes can be part of traffic.
It's really a bigger pain in the butt for cars to be behind
a bike that has to get back
up to speed when there are -- when there is no traffic
coming.
So if all you have to do is slow and keep going, you really
-- the traffic keeps going
at a better pace in those areas.
>> And you --
>> The sparrows.
>> And stops and stop lights would be like stop signs.
That's the way you see it.
>> Yeah.
>> A quick response the way PD looks at this is they really
consider bicyclists as a vehicle.
And they enforce it that way.
So if you don't stop, that means, yeah, you're in trouble.
>> Right.
>> But --
>> See change.
>> -- we'll investigate.
>> When you're on a bike and the person's car and a car is
frustrated behind you because
you're going three miles per hour, it creates a far more
dangerous situation.
>> Right.
Right.
If they have to feel they have to speed up to get around
you because you are --
>> And that's the most dangerous thing.
>> -- instead of you're being able to -- when you can, just
keep on going.
>> That's the only close calls I've had is people swerving
around out of frustration
because they don't -- they think only cars should be in the
road.
>> Right.
Yeah.
Okay.
So in terms of the matrix, that means that, you know, we're
the eyes on the street.
So when there are things that you see that can -- some of
these things are super quick
fix.
You know, we've brought things in.
We've said pre-tem, we need help, and one meeting later he
says, okay, and this is what
we did.
And so some things he can say, oh, okay, I didn't know
anybody was concerned about this.
This is something we're addressing via this project.
But, you know, this is a really good way to find out and
add things or find out where
we are.
The city might be working on things that we don't know they
're working on, and you bring
it up and they can say, okay.
And then you can bring that back.
We bring that back to the community who's been asking about
it.
So, Dan?
>> Can I just -- I don't know if it's time to ask a
question because I don't know what
can happen related to it.
But the new pedestrian cross on the square, there's like
new pedestrian cross.
What was the -- I mean, I guess that's probably out of our
realm.
What was the thinking behind those?
>> You mean the sound or --
>> No, there's --
>> The sound, too.
>> No, like the shorter ones, right?
They're like shorter -- that weren't there previously.
They're installed in the last six months.
>> So it is ADA compliance.
The new ADA compliance requires that the pedestrian buttons
are within a certain distance of the
street and the ramps.
So that's why you have those shorter ramps.
But at the same time, their sound is unique enough so
someone with a visual disability
can actually differentiate between different sounds of
which direction you're going.
>> So those actually emit sound?
>> Yes.
>> Okay, that's good.
>> And it emitted different sound and we just changed it
last week.
>> Was the alignment changed?
Because it seems like -- and maybe I'm reading wrong, but
it seems like when I'm on the square,
you have to press the button now.
>> Correct.
>> Or to cross.
>> And that's for ADA compliance.
>> So it can't be automatic?
>> If it's automatic, it's hard for anyone that's visually
and also hearing impaired
that they wouldn't know what direction where to cross.
So you have ramps that are directional and then you have
buttons that go with those.
So we're just being compliant.
And yeah, it's a little bit, but it helps everyone to not
just get into the street immediately.
>> Is that something that we've had to coordinate with Text
Dot?
>> No.
>> Because L and Locust?
>> Well, they reviewed the plans, yes.
>> Okay.
>> Okay, so I do have one question on the matrix.
This is probably an enforcement question about station
motors, which is at the corner of
Locust and McKinney.
They just block sidewalks and I think they've been doing it
for years with cars.
And that whole area has kind of always been one of my
biggest concerns because of the
you come off the square, it's pedestrian friendly and then
it opens up and cars gun it near
where pedestrians are walking.
But that area in particular, you're just pushed into the
road as a pedestrian because they
always block it.
So that's right at Locust and McKinney.
So I don't know if that's an enforcement issue.
And then I had one other question I brought up.
We were just discussing before.
Is there anything temporary we can do on Hickory?
I know there's long term plans on Hickory, but I know I've
been since probably my first
meeting in 2016 complaining about we have two urban areas
and we have one small gap
between them.
And it's one of the worst roads and we put a bike lane on
it.
And then we tore it up.
So now we have a bike lane with torn up terrible traffic.
When you bike on it at night, which I do every night, you
can't see more than a foot or two
in front of you on parts of it.
It's incredibly dangerous.
Someone is going to get really hurt riding over there.
And we as a city built infrastructure to tell them to go
there.
And I don't know how long it's going to take to get this
stretch fixed or get something
done because the sidewalks are all inaccessible.
If anyone in a wheelchair wants to go between UNT and the
square, they're out of luck.
It's just I don't know.
It's just so bad.
And we made it way worse.
I don't know what happened with putting the pipes in.
But man, that road got torn up and it just looks like it's
about to sit there for a while.
And so I'm just frustrated with the status of it.
It's been bad for years.
It's gotten worse.
And if nothing else, can we get some lighting, some
temporary lighting in the area so that
there's it's not dangerous for people.
So it is a project.
Yeah.
We're working on it.
More to come.
I know.
I'm just disgusted.
Yeah.
Well, and I think that is a question for the for night.
You know, since right now the lighting is so are there any
temporary measures to illuminate
that area until it's done?
And I think when it's done, it's going to look great.
I think it will be pedestrian oriented.
But right now, I think everybody I talked to who goes down
who walks or bikes down Hickory,
it feels like they're in it, you know, taking their lives
into their own hands, you know,
even even in the broad daylight.
Yeah.
So you at night just a little extra extra way to put a
little extra light in there,
I think would be it would be good.
That would make a big difference just so you can really see
where you're biking in front
of you right now.
Yeah.
When you hit those bumps, you sometimes don't even see them
coming.
Yeah.
You know, we're looking at bike.
We'll look at options.
OK.
Thank you.
OK.
Is there anything else?
A general question.
I'm the new kid on the block.
I like reading research, statistics, reports in order to
make an informed decision.
There might be times I'd say I'm going to say no, simply
because I don't have all my
questions answered.
How would I get supplemental information before this
meeting?
I'm going to vote on something.
Is there a way to do that?
You can send a list of questions you may have ahead of the
meeting.
I don't know what's on next month's agenda.
You can send them Monday if you can, the morning of today,
and then we'll get enough time to
respond to all the questions.
OK.
Thank you.
So because you get it on Friday, you don't have enough time
, but you can read it over
the weekend.
If on Monday morning you want to send questions or you have
follow up information, we can
make sure that we try and address most of them.
If we have something pending, then we'll provide you at a
later time, but we'll try and address
them.
And I think we talked about too, is there simplifying the
way to find existing projects
on the site?
I think they have done some updating already.
Correct.
I can send you a link.
Is that linked from our page?
That would kind of make sense almost to have a link to it.
I don't know if that's--
I don't know.
That'd be great if you could-- thank you so much.
OK.
Anyone else have any questions, comments?
OK.
We will adjourn at 6.59.