Good morning. I'm going to, seeing that we have a quorum, I'm going to call this meeting of the Mobility Committee of the City of Denton to order at 9.02.
Let's jump right in and take on item A, consider approval of the minutes of the meeting held September 10th.
I recommend approval.
I'll second. All in favor?
Aye.
Aye. All opposed?
All right, we're good.
That's not John either.
It is John.
Well, it is, right?
Are we okay with the sequence as presented in the agenda?
Yes.
Okay, that's what we're going to item B.
Very much looking forward to hearing from our Attorney-Champion Nicole Becker.
Becker, sorry, can't say her name. It's been too long.
It's been too long.
Receive a report and hold the discussion regarding updates to the Denton 9 Transportation Authority.
Yes, good morning.
So, I have received a list of a few items that the committee had wanted some updates on.
And so we do have a few updates there.
And then I would just like to talk about some of the things that we're doing in the City of Denton, just to keep the committee aware.
So, on the 17th of September...
Excuse me, sorry to interrupt you.
You don't need the mic.
Oh, this mic doesn't matter?
It doesn't matter anymore.
Okay.
Oh, so we can just turn it to the side.
Just like that one.
Yeah.
Are we okay with the minutes?
Okay.
Please, Karen.
So, on September 17th, Raymond Torres, our CEO, gave an update to the City Council about some of our bus stop pads, benches, and shelters.
And so I just want to provide an update.
DCT is currently working with our member cities to do an overall kind of an efficiency study to kind of look at all of our modes of transit,
how we are separating those modes of transit, how are staffing levels in accordance with those levels of transit.
And so as a part of that, we're going to be looking at our service delivery as a whole and looking to see what implementation schedule we should look at for modifying that service.
And as a part of that, we will include any change in stops, any sort of like bus benches or any shelters.
And so we should know more about that in the next handful of months because we're pretty deep into that, into the start of that efficiency study right now.
So I know that there has been some hesitation to go out there and put any permanent fixtures in place if the plan is in a handful of months to make alterations to some of those schedules.
If there are particular locations that you're interested in, please let me know because I can forward those on and work with our operations team and our planning and development team to see if we have any stock for like benches, shelters,
what the infrastructure is at those particular locations and see what we can kind of do in the interim.
So more to come on that. I will continue to update the committee on those items.
The second item that was requested of an update was the Colorado breaker pedestrian and trail crossing.
And so I did want to provide an update on that. So DCTA is working with the city.
We've kind of taken individual roles to make the whole thing happen.
So the city is going to install the pedestrian crossing lights and the striping and then the city, then DCTA is going to handle all of the concrete work.
And so I do know that the city is placed in order for equipment. And right now we're slated to begin work at the end of the month.
So that's accurate.
And then the third item was the Bonnie raise service route changes due to the construction completion schedule.
And so Troy and really with our operations department is here.
He's actually going to go out today and check out that area and then we'll provide Mario with an update via email.
And if you can distribute that to the committee.
So if there are no questions on those three items, I'd like to give the committee just an update on some of the things that we're doing in the city of Denton.
Yeah, OK.
Just on the bus stops and the shelters, because I've seen shelters that are at bus stops that are closed.
OK, so is it possible to review some of those if those stops aren't going to open? So that way, I mean, is that included in the efficiency study?
Yes. OK. Yes. But let me let me find out because we can look at our inventory and see where those are.
I can get you a specific update on what the plan is for those individual stops that are closed.
They're just empty, wasting. Yeah, let me find out because I know a lot of times when we look at installing benches and shelters,
there's some ADA infrastructure that has to be in place in order to not only put them in, but to make them accessible.
And so sometimes there's a little bit of hold up with that.
But let me find out about the ones that are no longer in use because we may have a plan for them.
And I'm just not aware of it. I've only been back for three weeks. This is the start of my fourth week.
But let me check them out and I will include that in the update tomorrow if you can distribute that to the committee. Sure.
So everybody knows the state. Yes, sir. So I'll just share a comment that I said when Mr. Suarez came in as well.
I hope that as you're looking at the efficiency of the system, you also still are aiming for increasing ridership
and understanding the barriers and Mr. Suarez did talk about how some of the new kinds of service have resulted in increases in ridership.
Yes. That's sort of the intentional goal. Absolutely.
Looking at the on demand, the first last mile connections is a primary component of that efficiency study.
And finding out where does it really make sense that you have a fixed route schedule versus on demand?
And where can we increase ridership in looking at those on demand services?
One of those areas that we're looking at currently, we have a zone called the Denton Airport Zone, Dent Enterprise Airport Zone.
And right now, ridership is not as high as what we would like to see.
And so we're looking at ways that we can modify that in the next few coming months to kind of increase that zone
or modify that zone to include Razor Ranch to potentially increase ridership there.
So we have a lot more flexibility when it comes to our zones as far as moving them and not doing them in conjunction with a major service change.
And so that's one of the areas that we're looking at just in the interim while we're doing the efficiency study.
So hopefully we'll see some increase there once we have a final recommended plan.
Is there any kind of initiative or effort specifically to identify what the barriers to increased ridership are?
I mean, I would say they're subjective. I mean, I think it depends who you talk to.
I mean, sometimes it's going to be fixed routes. Sometimes it's going to be the cost of the ride.
Sometimes it's going to be gas prices, the fact that we're in Texas and everybody likes their large vehicle
versus, you know, using transit as kind of like in an eight, you know, cents, you know, places like New York.
And obviously people are going to use transit much more frequently than they would ever think about using a car.
So I don't think you can drill it down to one specific reason why there is a decrease in ridership.
I think it's probably there. It's a collective reason.
I would say, to be completely honest, we struggle without internally being able to answer that one question.
And I think transit agencies across the country struggle to answer that question with one specific answer.
So I think it's probably a collection of reasons.
My suggestion would be to identify target profiles of customers that you would think would be gainable.
If I were in your shoes, I'd probably start with some focus groups.
That will be hard. Yes. Part of the efficiency study will be focus groups with our stakeholders and also with passengers.
So hopefully we'll gain a lot of insight from that.
So maybe adding potential passengers, non-passengers.
Yes.
What would it take?
Okay.
You're a marketer.
Yeah, we'll include that for sure.
That way it will.
Absolutely.
Thanks.
Yeah.
And you had more you wanted to share with us.
So everyone knows that it's State Fair of Texas time.
We've got a big weekend coming up, Texas OU weekend.
DCTA is offering a bundle deal.
We've actually sold over 300 of these bundles thus far just in the last few weeks.
It's $16.50 and you get a local DCTA pass, a local DART pass, and a State Fair of Texas ticket.
So that's about a $28 value that you're getting for $16.50.
And so we just like to let people know.
You can buy them at the DDTC, but it's a really great bundle.
We just had to purchase more tickets because it's been so successful.
So if you guys know of anybody or if you and your families are going to the State Fair,
we encourage you to use Transit to get there.
Also, Veterans Day on November 11th, we are doing our annual Veterans Day free ride promo.
So you can ride any of our Connect bus services, the A-Train, or any of our Zone services free
as long as you have a military ID.
So we are offering that promotion.
And then moving into December, I can't believe we're talking about December,
but we're also working on the holiday lighting in Wasselfest
and the Holiday Express with the Denton County Friends of the Family.
So be looking for those two events and DCTA's involvement.
We do a lot of free ride promos where you just use a code word, so we're really excited about that.
You talk about focus groups.
One of the areas where we do like to garner community feedback
is through our Quarterly Social Service Agency roundtable forums.
And I know the city is very in tune with those and sends representatives,
but we have them coming up in November.
So the one in Lewisville is November 6th and the one in Denton is November 7th,
and they're held in the morning.
And it's just an opportunity for nonprofits.
We bring in the libraries, rec centers, anybody can attend.
It's just a roundtable forum for us to talk about how transit services
are positively impacting those who are sitting around the table
or if there's a need and maybe that transit isn't addressing those needs.
So we really try to have an open discussion and walk away with an action item list
of things that we can go back, talk about it, and provide updates to the group.
So please know that those are available and anybody is welcome to attend.
When you send the updates on the other items,
would you just send kind of a listing of these major dates?
Sure.
Because we'll include that in council packet.
I know that DRC picks that up and can help promote that.
Yeah, absolutely. Thank you.
And then just lastly, on October 14th, we are doing a public meeting
in conjunction with the North Central Texas Council of Governments
to promote our program of projects, which talks about our grant funding
and how we plan to use that grant funding.
And so we just like to let everybody know that that's available.
The presentation is online.
And if you have any questions about that, you can ask us.
You can provide feedback online.
But we do present that in the fall every year.
And so that's coming up.
So that concludes my update.
Other than I'm extremely grateful to be back and so glad to see everybody.
So thank you for having me.
Yeah, John.
On the State Fair promotion, is there any increase in the number of trains
or the timing of the train in the evening?
Are there any plans for stranded passengers who don't get back in time
and they're stuck at the train mills?
So we have not modified our train schedule.
There are more green line schedules.
So DART has increased their schedule.
Typically in the past, and I can confirm with Troy,
for those late night trains, the ones where the green line drops off
at Trinity Mills and we don't have a connection any further to get you
back up to Denton or along the rail line,
we have put relief buses there in the past.
We haven't had any problems that I've heard of thus far.
I don't know if you haven't heard of any issues.
But typically our supervisors are well aware that this promotion is going on
and that this is an issue that we do experience sometimes.
I think maybe last year we had like one or two people that we had to bus back
because they took a late DART train that couldn't connect to DCT's A train.
So we're pretty in tune with it.
There's staff there available.
But if there is a need to get somebody back up north that we can get them north.
Currently we are addressing the passengers,
inquiring if they are going to the state fair.
And we're also making them aware of what time the last train is back.
So we're giving them that notice before they're going to town.
Correct.
And in the brochure that has the schedule, we also highlight,
this is the last A train schedule heading back north.
But it's pretty few and far between that we've had any issues.
Anything else?
Thank you.
All right.
Item C. Receive a report and hold a discussion about a city of Denton mobility plan.
Work completed and future task items.
Good morning.
Pamela Mitchell, traffic engineer at the city.
And today I have a very general, quick update,
because we are tentatively having a work session October 22nd.
If we can make the agenda, we'll be going to early November.
But that would be very technical and we will be updated with all that we've been working on.
So what has been completed since our last meeting?
We had four very productive meetings.
The first one we had our second technical stakeholder meeting on September 12th,
and that was very productive.
We received a lot of good feedback on the draft maps of their bike
and how we're prioritizing the pedestrian map.
We also came and presented on September 19th to the Committee on Persons with Disabilities.
Very good discussion.
They had a lot of good feedback on sidewalks, how to get around the city.
As far as sidewalk prioritization, they recommended we were focusing on schools.
They also would like for us to focus on major destinations on a day-to-day basis.
So we're definitely going to look into that option as we work on the pedestrian plan.
We had a separate meeting with the Planning Department on September 20th.
They're part of the Stakeholder Technical Committee.
But we felt that we needed to have a separate meeting with them to really get a feel for all the development that's coming in,
what has already planned for the Broadway network, and making sure it all ties in.
And there aren't any huge issues once this draft is presented to Council.
And then recently we had a bicycle focus group meeting on September 25th.
This was an idea presented by Mark Golfin, the bike and ped coordinator.
It was a great turnout.
I believe it was like 25 people showed up at the bike shop near the square.
And they had a lot of good feedback.
And as a result, the bike plan was updated because of that meeting.
Any question on those meetings?
Would you mind sharing maybe a headline or two preliminarily on the persons with disabilities and the bike group,
just particular major points that were a-has?
So the persons with disabilities, they did bring up the DCTA stations at just the major destinations.
They mentioned preferring six-foot wire sidewalks, things like that.
Nothing really particular.
Of course, university is always a concern of theirs.
The bicycle meeting was not there particularly.
And I have the meeting with the team this afternoon.
So they'll probably go into depth of what they heard and their feedback.
But all of that will be presented at the work session with Council at the end of the month.
Thanks.
If we want, we can add a blurb to the Friday packet just to understand what it was.
Yeah.
A couple sentences of the meeting highlights.
Sure.
We'll do that.
I can do that.
So upcoming, we will be closing the citizen feedback survey, the interactive map this Friday
because we're wrapping up all the results, the maps, plans that we can present to Council at the end of the month,
early November.
Any feedback on what you're looking to see at the work session?
I can relate to the project team.
Any questions that you would like answered in the blurb?
Council Member Briggs?
I'm not necessarily in the blurb.
Just a suggestion or a request that you talk to the sustainability department
because we had a meeting yesterday about reducing carbon and becoming less dependent or more neutral.
And part of the suggestions were bicycle and also since DCT is here, I'd like to mention,
public transportation on that.
And so as we try to reach our goals in the same sustainability,
just having those partnerships with other departments and other organizations in the community
are going to be extremely important.
And as we update this plan, the amount of miles for bicycles and pedestrian added
can take that many more cars off the road.
So if there is a communication that can happen as you do this update with our sustainability,
that would be really great.
Okay.
I'll definitely reach out to them.
Thank you.
Any very specific targets in these areas that would be good if it's safe?
Well, one thing we can do also too is, you know, since this portal is closing later this week,
you know, certainly reach out to those departments to push it out to those folks that are volunteers
that just work through that process to help respond to the survey and just get more feedback from citizens.
Another option.
Also a good thing.
Council Member Briggs was referring to, it's very specific policy guidance that will come out of sustainability.
So we're coordinating.
Definitely.
Okay.
Thank you.
It's your time.
Bye.
Right.
Indeed.
Receive a report and hold a discussion regarding text-on-line system projects in that area.
Okay.
Thank you.
Okay.
So we'll get right to the good stuff.
We're working on about $2.5 billion worth of projects within the city of Denton.
Zachary signed the contract.
Actually, Berkshire Hathaway signed the contract on November 7th, earlier this week, and they
will be -- they're currently out of their mobile license, so they will be -- the good
news is they'll be back at work very shortly.
The kind of bad news is they've got all the time back, so it's like starting over.
So it's 500-something days.
October 7th or no?
What did I say?
You said November.
They signed the contract in October.
Zachary will be back on -- and I know it says fully executed, but Berkshire Hathaway signed
it on November -- I mean, October 4th, and then Zachary signs their contract with Berkshire
on the 7th and then mobilizes.
So it's a two-step process.
Okay.
Did I make that up pretty good?
I remember in part of our conversation, we were talking about all the work that had been
done and the materials that were laying on the side of the road.
Are they going to have to be redone and replaced?
Yes.
Well, the work that's already done that's in the ground, Berkshire Hathaway has to accept
and warranty.
The work that's -- the material that's still laying out that was for the city's utilities,
the city is not accepting that material, and as long as they don't change, if we're thinking
about changing their specs, it's up to -- and that was part of the deal with Berkshire,
they have to replace the material.
So that's part of this redo.
So that's good.
Yes.
So a forward drive project, and as you know, the main critical item on this project is
the road crossing and the shoe flag, and they're laying down the track even as we speak.
The traffic will switch this Thursday to the new concrete pavement south of the railroad.
So they'll be split.
They'll take the southbound traffic and move them onto the new temporary pavement, and
then they'll be working in the middle, similar to what they've been doing north of the railroad
track.
And we think that this contract is probably going to get delayed because we had some delays
early on in the project, but we don't know exactly, but we know that it will probably
be not November of 2020.
It may slip a couple of months, but we still have time to try to catch that up.
Do we know just south of Daniels on this project, there's like a 100-foot strip that they didn't
put the temporary pavement on?
Do we know who's held up that is?
I don't.
I can check on that.
I mean, because they've got the temporary pavement all the way down to Country Club,
except for this 100-foot strip right by the trailer park that, as far as switching sides,
I'm just wondering, who's at fault for that, or what is the reason for that not having
been?
Okay.
I can check on that.
I don't know.
I can find out Thursday.
Oh, that's right.
Thursday.
Yeah.
All right.
You may know 35E job.
This was November of 2020.
We're now moving into May of '21 because of the additional parcels we have to acquire
in this section of the project up to the 288 project, so it gives us a little bit of time
between when the OHL job gets done and this one starts, so we'll get them used to having
a nice road, and then we'll tear it all apart again.
OHL will be done by then?
I think so, because did you drive it today?
Because they've switched the traffic.
I was fixing to tell you that.
Traffic has been switched.
You now can drive on the southbound main lanes in the southbound side.
They've got the center still blocked out because they're going to put the concrete center barrier
up, and then re-strap it.
The northbound on-ramp from 288 is physically there.
They've got to do some strapping as well on that, and the southbound ramp is almost all
there, permanent for the mega-lex.
So within days, maybe 10 or so, we should start to see traffic get relieved around the
288 because of the work that they're doing to switch the traffic, because they couldn't
do the ramps until they moved the traffic to the southbound.
Now the ramps are physically there.
They've got to come in and do some strapping, which when they do the strapping, they'll
also fix the strapping at Dallas Drive to make it one lane, and we are working with
city staff on a permanent solution to that Dallas Drive intersection so we don't have
to go through Cowboys parking lot to get around.
So we're going to look at a permanent infrastructure improvement there next.
I had a question about that, because the breaker looks like it's ready to open, but we're
told that it will not until the light comes in, the signal.
And so if we can have an update on where that is.
I think we've ordered the equipment to be in place, and then we're working on the agreement
with Textile, so we have kind of a verbal agreement that, yes, we're going to move forward
as quickly as possible while we go through the process of getting it on council and signing
up, but our goal is to get that intersection going in the next 30 days, which is what we
promised traffic safety yesterday.
So Textile's lending the city the temporary poles.
The city's still got to order them.
There's a six or seven week lag in delivery.
Once they get them, they'll just give those poles back to Textile.
So we're trying to do everything we can, because we know it's like a Christmas tree, right?
Right before Christmas, where all the presents are under it, because it's perfectly usable.
It's striped.
It's ready to go.
But it's just we can't open it without a signal, and people are -- we've asked -- you'll
hear again, I think, on Thursday.
We've asked -- didn't find us to actively patrol it, because people are -- they're just taking
it, and it's too tempting.
So we're really moving on that, doing every trick we can to get this thing done as quickly
as possible.
OHL would not accept the work.
We tried in vain, probably in my mind too long.
We tried to get them to do it, but once we realized they wouldn't, we quickly switched.
The city stepped up, said, "We can take care of it.
We need some help."
Textile says, "We can help."
And so we're still about a month behind schedule.
So for clarification, the temporary poles will be up within a month, and then the --
The whole signal should be up.
Oh, okay.
Now let us clarify the clarification.
Okay.
The temporary signals are for the current job with OHL's doing.
When Mayhill comes in and does the frontage road from Mayhill to 288, they'll put the
big, masked, big arm signals, the permanent signals up at Brinker.
So these are temporary.
These would be strand pole wire signals in the interim to keep the -- get the intersection
operational.
But then when the Mayhill job comes in, they'll take those out and put the permanents in.
But the temporary ones, we're looking at at that point.
Yes.
Thank you.
So by the time we get back to this next meeting, you can all pretend personally responsible
if it's not happening.
Okay.
On the exit ramps in this area, I haven't driven them.
They were paving it the last time I drove it.
Right.
Did they do it where it is a separate lane for the off-ramp, or is it --
No, it merges.
It's the yield-type situation for the service room.
That's the --
What are they doing?
That's the new paradigm.
That's the old paradigm, isn't it?
Well, it's the old paradigm that came back.
Is it like avocado?
The theory is, ultimately -- the color.
Yeah, okay.
Our parents were in the building business.
That's why I told you.
Power is gold.
Where was I?
The old paradigm.
Oh, paradigm.
Okay.
So, remember when we were in the building business?
Yeah.
That's the old paradigm.
The old paradigm.
So, remember, we're going, ultimately, to what they call three-two frontage roads.
Right?
So, the frontage roads will have two lanes of traffic between the intersection and the
exit ramp, three lanes of traffic between the exit ramp and the entrance ramp, and then
back to two.
So, ultimately, you'll have that third lane is supposed to be just the auxiliary for the
transition and merge traffic for on and off the freeways.
But right now, we're at a two-lane frontage road system, so we're training them poorly,
I'll have to admit, it frustrates me, that that's what it's going to be in the future.
If they haven't striped it yet, is it possible to get them to narrow it down to one lane
for free traffic?
I just know that those yield signs don't work.
Don't work.
I want to carry one in my truck and beat people to death when they don't yield.
But my wife told me that's not proper etiquette.
Northbound at Fort Worth Drive, up at 35, is perfect.
Narrow it down to one lane, you got one lane for the people coming off 35, one lane for
the people coming off 35.
Right.
We came in when they had Dallas Strip closed, and the exit ramp closed there, having them
hit Teasley and come around, we had them actually pull that striping so that we could get more
than one lane of frontage to the signal.
So, I would say on Thursday, we need to talk about that.
I think it's a pretty tough road to hoe right now, with their paradigm, because they're
going to that everywhere, the yield, as opposed to pushing them over.
So, I think that's a district-wide issue that we're going to fight.
But we can bring it up.
Alright, so your 35E, 35W Merge project, again, this project is fully funded.
We are working, the critical path item right now is not just the right-of-way and utilities,
but it's also the bridge structures, and so we've got our bridge layouts, and we anticipate
getting them to the division in January.
So, we're still looking for a January 2023 let date, and there's a lot of coordination
with this part, and then a little part to the north, to 77, on the next job, with city
utilities, and we're meeting regularly with your staff on that.
This is that little piece I was talking about.
It doesn't look little on this page, up to here, but when you look at this project, it's
just a small portion here.
So, we're going to do the wishbone, and the green for sure is one project.
We may end up doing more of this, this one project.
That's why they're close on their let dates.
But this project, we got it environmentally cleared.
Last week, I was sitting talking to TechStop at STAC, and I was lamenting that we can't
get the TechZone MPO to act, and they said they'd get an interim out-of-cycle improvement,
and we're clear.
So, we will give you the specific date on that.
So, what happens is we have to send these reports to get into your system about 10 days
prior to why it's showing up.
So, a lot of things happen between when I submit it.
So, it's not that I'm an idiot.
These are just things that change between when I submit it and when I get here.
But this has been environmentally cleared now, and we'll update that report and get
that to you.
So, we're ready to go on this project, everything.
The rideways are being acquired, and the designs are being done, and we're shooting for that
22-let date.
Okay, so your main lane project, this project, we were operational, and then we got the traffic,
started looking at the traffic, and the traffic was not right, and so we had to go back to
division, and so we're still working with TechStop.
That's what all that means.
TechStop is coordinating to be determined and update project schedules because we can't
validate any of our assumptions without the traffic, and we're having a difficult time
getting the right traffic out of Austin.
So, we're still looking at next year, having this project environmentally cleared, and
assuming we can get the traffic resolved soon.
This is the main lanes, just the main lanes.
This project is the frontage roads, and the frontage roads within Texas Motor Speedway
South are already there.
That's why it just starts there and goes north.
Jacobs is working on this project, and we are looking for spring of next year for environmental
clearance.
We're already identifying the parcels and the number of tracks that are going to be
required, and we're shooting for a left date of 2023.
The reason it says 2025 is because there's no money associated with this project yet,
but as we get it environmentally cleared in the March 2020 timeframe, I think we were
talking to staff the other day about we can pick the sections of -- we don't have to do
all 295 million.
We just have to pick sections that we want, similar to what we did in the South, where
we did the southbound frontage road to the northbound between the Eagle and 114th.
So, we can pick sections once it's cleared and focus on that.
And so, once it's cleared, we'll come back in spring next year, get with the city, say
what's your druthers, and you tell us what you want to do, and that's what we'll focus
on.
That's -- is this widening into 6 lines?
This is the frontage roads.
Okay.
So, what we're doing is we broke it into two pieces, and the reason we're doing that is
the main lanes that they're allowing us to do right now in the mobility plan is a rural
highway, 6 lanes.
So, it was going to be what they call a 3223, which is what's coming out of Tarrant County,
3 general purpose, 2 managed northbound, 2 managed southbound, and 3 general purpose.
We had to change that in the mobility plan because the commission said they weren't going
to accept any more managed lanes.
So, all we're doing is changing it from an urban 3223 to a rural 6, and the footprint
for a rural 6 is the same as an urban 3223.
Building the frontage roads, leaving the center wide open so that when they change their mind,
they will have the footprint for handling.
Have them drive through there after 3 o'clock any day of the week.
Right.
So, that's why we're doing it split.
There's some method to our madness.
The frontage roads are always going to be where the frontage roads are going to be, and
the frontage roads are what drive development.
So, it's the things we want first anyway.
Okay.
So, I think I told you last month that this project has always been two sections.
The blue section was led out to private firms to do the design, and they did the design
in-house in the green.
It's both fully funded.
They want to let this project sooner than 2021, sometime in 2020, which means October
19 through September 20.
So, we're meeting with city staff coordinating on that because, A, it's good news that they're
going to do the dent section first.
The bad news is we've got to make sure we're out of the way.
So, this project will go first, and once we know that, we'll break these projects into
two, and they'll have their own schedule.
Loop 288.
288 is having the same problem along the traffic as 35W.
We're working through it, and we're still hoping to get this project cleared September
next year, but we're a little bit further along on 288 than we are on 35W, so I think
that's eminently doable if we can get the traffic resolved in the next month or so.
So, the reason traffic matters is this is a controlled access facility like 35W, and
you can't put the ramps just anywhere you want.
You have to put them based on where the traffic warrants, and so we know where they need to
be, but we can't prove that they were warranted without the proper traffic, and the traffic
we're getting was, it didn't have the right nodes connected to it, so it was underestimating
and saying things weren't warranted, and we know they are based on what COGS demographics
shows, so we're having this modeling battle between the region and the division.
On this one, because I know that we've had, there were some issues with gas wells and
things such as that, is there a requirement for TxDOT to build the road?
Does it have to be a certain distance away from the gas well, or can it be as close as?
It can be fairly close or adjacent to the right of way, it cannot be in the right of
way, and so that's, a lot of the times you see us move because of gas wells is because
we were in the right of way.
And if you look, the reason why this has got such a long life cycle timeline on it, is
if you were to go to, and I encourage you to do this, it's interesting, go to Ditton
County's landmark, go to their GIS, and go to the landmark, that's that map, and top
in, go into this area and hit gas wells and transmission lines.
Check mark that.
And this whole section of the county, 35 W, 35 West, will turn almost black with the
number of wells and transmission lines.
We've threaded the needle on the wells.
The hard part is going to be that underneath those little wells is a spiderweb of transmission
lines that we're going to have to deal with, and they're not a pure franchise utility,
and so they're dealt with differently, and they're not, the state doesn't have as much
authority to move them around, push them around as they can on a utility, so you end up costing
a lot of money and they drag your feet.
So, we try to avoid the gas wells themselves, but they can be fairly close, and if you look
at Cleveland Gibbs and 35 W, there's a gas well right there at the corner, right up against
that right over there.
So they can be next door neighbors as long as you're not in the right of way.
I don't know if that's good or bad.
And then our favorite project for pre-10, 15-15, we are moving forward.
We're still looking at December vinyl cleanse with the Wishbone project getting funded,
which funds this leg of 35 W.
We've got to do some more due diligence now to make sure that what we're doing with 15-15
is consistent with what 35 W is planning on, so there's some coordination, and then you
got Bonnie Bray coming right through the middle of it.
So, there's three projects that we have to coordinate to make sure they're during how
to bridge to nowhere.
1173, speaking of making sure there's not a bridge to nowhere, the 35 project that we
have funded does include the realignment of 1173 to the Bartholomew Road, so we'll at
least have the intersection there for the time, you know, it's pretty close in the time
frame, but this project is not funded, but the interchange at 35 will be included in
the 35 project in the proper location.
428, this is just a starter.
TxDOT has not got anybody on board to do the limited access facility here.
Pre-10 is working on the signal work and the justification for the warrant to submit to
TxDOT, and we'll work with them whenever they get that done.
Bonnie Bray, Phase 7, this is for the extension to tie into 288.
This is a project where we're tracking, but it's essentially our partnership with the
Metropolitan Planning Organization.
They're going to help us with the blue line in front of the school, and then Cog is going
to work with TxDOT as a partner and probably ask the county for assistance on the green
project, so we're just showing you this as a, that we're tying Bonnie Bray into 288,
but it really shouldn't require any funding from the city.
What about the projected dates, sir?
We haven't got anybody on board yet for Phase 7 at TxDOT yet, so the city has spent some
money to do a schematic, so we're not dead in the water.
We have been working on it, so we're just going to get Cog and TxDOT to say yes.
They'll bring on a consultant to finish it, and we'll get you a date, cycle it, and we're
going to try it.
All of this is another reason why we're meeting with your staff, because when you go back
and look at 35, which I will, because this is the last project, you got January of 2023,
which is the critical one.
The next one is a little earlier, because we've been working on it longer.
You got January of 2023, where this project and probably that green part of the northern
section will go under the knife, and Bonnie Bray, we're working on it in all of this corridor,
and we're trying to get as much of this in place prior to that date, and the good news
is that date probably will slip a little bit, because they always do, but your staff isn't
counting on that.
We're already meeting pretty regularly to figure out how to get that road on the ground.
That tie-in is that portion right up here, and TxDOT knows that this is coming, Cog knows
this is coming, and so they know that's a critical item with the schedule, so we're
going to try to keep it to where it gets done as quickly as possible before this thing goes
under the knife.
That's why I think they'd already be on board and kind of have dates, because that's the
plan.
Yes, but they only knew they got this funded by the commission in July, so now it's October,
and now we're starting to unthread the sweater, unravel it, to see what all that implies,
and this, Bonnie Bray, is one of the implications, and so we're just now getting to the consequences
of our success, and that should be it for me.
I have a few follow-up questions.
Uh-oh.
You mentioned Dallas Drive a little bit, but you were talking about the connection.
Is there a date for the on-ramp to open?
Is that in conjunction with Breakers still?
No.
The on-ramp is, they're striping part of the, the ramps are there right now because they
drove through it today, and they're going to strike the on-ramp at 288 and the off-ramp
for Mayhill, and under that part of that contract, they're going to restripe the Dallas Drive
to one lane, because right now it's two, and then you merge right at the signal.
They're going to reduce that back down to one lane, and that should be done sometime
in October, is what we were told.
So the striping?
No.
No?
Yeah, I'm talking about heading south.
Under the bridge.
Under the, coming down Dallas Drive.
On to 35.
Oh.
Yeah, that won't open until the project's completely done.
What, what do you mean completely?
Okay.
I'll tell you the current inaccurate date, uh, is December 2019.
Okay.
So it is in conjunction with, with the same.
Yeah, that'll be the last thing that happens on this job.
They will not open Dallas Drive until everything is perfect, because it's, it jams the traffic
into a section that's already pretty bad.
So you mean both, um, frontage roads and the light at Brinker and then Dallas Drive on-ramp.
So the, yeah, so the, the frontage roads, ramps, on and off, and the striping of Dallas
Drive should happen in the next 30 days.
Uh, Dallas Drive being able to go southbound on to 35 won't open until essentially the
LHL hands the keys back to textile.
I just want to make sure it didn't have anything to do with mayhem, but it was just.
No, it has to do with, uh, that it comes in on the left.
Okay.
So, and, um, one more question.
So there's barrels along 380, and people have asked me what they're for, and I'm saying
it's median work.
Is that what's going on?
You had, like, uh, didn't buy one of that?
Oh, yeah, yeah, all the way in north.
I go to church, right?
I'm an usher, and these guys like treating me like I'm their consultant.
They want to know what that's going on.
Call the city.
Well, I mean, you know, there's no communication.
I don't know what's going on.
I want to find out as soon as I leave here.
Well, I think what it is is I've noticed the edges of the medians have been broken out
and rewired.
I think they're fixing the crushed medians, and that's what I've been saying.
But I just wanted to clarify that that's all.
If we don't know by today, we'll know by Thursday when we get cornered Tina and ask
her why she's doing stuff without letting us know.
But, uh, yes, I know exactly what you're talking about.
Okay.
Okay, we'll go to church.
Okay, thanks a lot.
Let's move on to item E, staff reports.
So I want to tell you, let me pull up the matrix to see if we can take some items out
and clean it up so that we have more space.
So we can fill it back in?
Fill it back in.
New stuff.
There we go.
Okay.
So I know these first two or three or four are continuing, and do we want to continue
keeping them on?
Because I think this one-way two-way and then the rope diet, these will all be discussed
as part of the mobility plan.
So we are getting updates on the mobility plan on a monthly basis.
So do we want to keep them on the matrix?
Because that's an agenda item that we can, if we can take them out, we'll always have
a mobility plan update.
Or do you want to keep them just to specifically focus on that, on those two items?
Well, I was told that those two were going to be in a presentation coming to council
soon, and so when that presentation comes to council, I think these can roll off.
Okay.
Perfect.
And then DCTA, I think we talked to them about the bus shelters, but do you want to, DCTA
shelters and benches, do you want to keep them or constantly keep them?
I'm not 100% sure of our motivation here.
The last I heard, you know, we're not paying by the vertical inch for, you know, screen
space.
I mean, you know, just to be strictly following the logic we heard, you're going to hear this.
So, okay, then when we hear it, it'll be done.
Okay.
No, because I think some of this has really old dates and it just looks as if there's
nothing happening or you've not really heard about this item for a long time.
I acknowledge that.
We just heard about it today.
We heard that it's coming, you know, and I'm not unhappy about it.
Now, I do have an issue with item four.
I personally feel that the I should always be before the E and the word yield.
That's my position.
And that can come off because it's been looked at and nothing is.
And it's probably more embarrassing than the date, right?
It is.
Item six, we're planning on taking that up because that has been completed.
It was refreshed on the crosswalks.
Can we go back up to five for a second?
Yes, sure.
Because I believe that when we were talking about the mobility plan, this was an issue
for the disability committee as well.
I think it's the same section.
And so just to go back to this, is there any -- are we still talking to the --
Let me --
-- develop the -- I guess the person who owns it and TxDOT and the city.
The micro room.
Yes.
It's in the light.
I mean, it's really dangerous.
If you're in a wheelchair, there's nothing to do.
No, I'm not.
So the real issue here is the right-of-way.
TxDOT has right-of-way.
Let me get to the location right there.
So TxDOT has the right-of-way on 380.
And right behind it is a private property.
So there are two separate things here.
And in order to have that access directly down here, you have to wrap it down here
and then bring it into the parking lot.
But you can't really leave anything in the parking lot.
There is no sidewalk that extends or connects.
And there is no ramp on the other end.
So there is no crosswalk.
So it's a bigger issue and a larger project that it looks as if it's not necessarily a quick little ramp and it's done.
So we have talked to TxDOT about this, and currently they don't have any plans or funding or anything to move forward on.
So I have a question.
If you could go back to the one section where it goes in and it's a holding spot.
So if you're in a wheelchair, there's nothing you can do, really.
So if we just busted that curb away, and people could either -- I mean, why is that curb there?
I mean, it would just make more sense if it was -- I mean, I don't know if that's allowed or not,
but at least somebody could get off of that.
So this curb is specifically directed for folks when they -- it's a bus stop right here, right?
I mean, when they get off.
Is it a bus stop?
I don't think it's a bus stop.
Yeah, it's not -- it doesn't make any sense.
I just -- what just -- if we could get creative and kind of think maybe out of the box, if possible,
because I know that that's an issue, too, and I --
I think it's because it's raised there, isn't it?
Yeah, there's a -- if you look at it, this level is way higher than this.
I would say a good six to eight inches.
It's raised, and it empties into a drive lane on the private side.
So where we're struggling is where do you safely put somebody,
because the alternative is to take it away completely.
And that's where we're struggling with this issue.
You don't want to take, especially somebody who is potentially visually impaired,
and dump them into a drive lane on private property.
So we could take the back of that curb down, and we could drop the ramp down.
But until we designate and we don't have easement to do this,
we'd have to work with the private property owner,
you're putting them in an area where cars drive through that area and make the rights on the left.
And that's the concern as we start to try to figure out what do we do here.
We have no control of the private property.
We can only make suggestion, and then we're taking some liability on it.
So it's textile when we bust the back of the curb and empty it into access.
But I think the other issue, though, that Council Member is mentioning is
you may be dumping them into a parking lot, but you're also dumping them onto 380.
I don't disagree with you.
I don't disagree with you, and that's where the alternative is,
is you take the crosswalk away and you take the landing away so that it makes sense that nobody,
which is really the strictest definition of what the ADA actually says,
is if you're both, if you're able-bodied and you have a crossing,
you need to make it accessible to a disabled body and vice versa.
So that's where we're coming down with how do you get to the best possible solution here.
It involves a lot more than just us.
It's the state.
It's understanding the constraints of the accessibility issue altogether
and the private sector because it belongs to somebody we have no control of their property over.
So what does that sign right there on the poles?
It says no walking. Where do you not walk?
You don't cross the straitway.
So that's a sign for folks between these two poles that don't cross here.
If you want to cross, go on the other side and then cross that street there.
That's what it says.
So it only has two crossings here.
We'll keep working with them, but those are the options.
I mean, the reality is those are the options.
We have to work with the private property owner, which can take time because there's no,
there's not a compelling argument that makes them do something versus,
do you leave the access point, which I agree makes no sense for the,
especially for the disabled-body person to go anywhere.
And one of the challenging parts of this is when 380 was built between Fulton,
right about here, and Carroll, there was no sidewalk laid down on the north side at all.
So the sidewalk is missing.
Everything on this side west, there's sidewalk on the north side if you can see.
And on this side of Carroll, there's sidewalk on the north side.
This is the only segment that does not have it.
So it's a, if we're doing things right, I think we need to install the sidewalk,
install the ranch, and make it appropriate.
And it all takes that right of way.
I understand that we're trying to have a solution,
but this is the only place that there is a crossing in order to provide that ADA
compliancy, we cannot put a crosswalk without having a ramp on the other side.
And that's why, that's the reason why TechStock had that ramp in the first place.
But it's a very challenging location, but a lot of people do cross here,
so it's not something that we really want to take out as far as a crosswalk.
No, it's a main connection, because you'd rather cross here than down at the Carroll bus lane.
But you mentioned someone who is not able to see.
I would not like to see what happens if they get to here, I mean, either.
So, anyway, I'd like to keep it on the matrix if that's okay.
We'll leave it there.
Thank you.
So the Malone ride turn versus bike lanes, I think Mark presented on this item
and we discussed what we could do is probably have a ride up or a blurb on this,
just so that it covers it.
I'll leave it for now, but then I'll, once we have it on the discussion,
then we can talk about it later.
This one, I'll ask, I have to remember why, if he wants to take that out,
because PD has already enforced on Bernard Street.
Oh, sorry.
Didn't mean to put you on the spot, but on this particular item for enforcement,
I think PD had up the enforcement, can you take it up?
And then the second item, if you want, I can have a blurb from PD.
Actually, what are the rules?
So that way you have an idea.
Yeah, because the biggest complaint we get is we're trying to put in more bike lanes,
is well, the bikers don't follow the rules anymore.
So if we could say, well, the police have these policies in place
and they are writing some tickets or they are doing something,
it gives us something to fall back on.
Yes, so I'll take number eight out, but then I'll leave this
and give you a group that explains some of this.
Rockwood and Mistywood, the schedule is right next year.
Okay, perfect, I'll take that one out.
Ellen Locust, this is, we're trying to get this on council either the 22nd or 1st meeting,
where the last piece is the resolution, but we want to get it on consent to get the turn back MOU assigned
and going to council so that PICSTAC can move forward.
Is this where I can editorialize a little bit?
Yes.
The MOU is a document that has been used a lot over the years
and it does give legal counsel some grief occasionally because it starts out saying
that this is a non-binding agreement, right?
But then later it says it anticipates there will be binding agreements as we get through the process.
This is a if you will, then we will, if then MOU.
But I think what, I'm not going to speak for anybody other than myself,
I think if you do the resolution, you're pretty much bound to what's in the MOU at that point
and the other side isn't.
So I'm just throwing that out there.
I don't know if I'm talking out of turn, but it's my recommendation that you just execute the MOUs,
give the city manager the authority to sign it and don't do the resolutions
because it requires PICSTAC to do significant things prior to you doing your thing.
If you take that resolution and execute it, I've seen it where in Crowley,
they passed resolutions saying if then we'll do what you want
and the commission took it as you said you wanted it, you got it,
and we had to go fight back that it was still on system for them to do the work they were going to do.
Would it be possible for the resolution to mirror the kind of conditionality of the MOU?
Yeah, I haven't seen the resolution, but if you're going to do a resolution because it says what the council is going to do,
make sure that it's conditional as much as possible.
And I'm saying that's probably about the suspenders,
but all the state wanted is somebody on city staff saying if we do these things, then we will do these things.
So I don't want to cause any trouble any more than I normally would.
Would it be possible then to have our consultant look over that before?
And then this forest ridge, we already had a speed survey back in April,
and I think the speeds were not super high as was expected because the condition is not great at the pavement,
but we do have the data, and then we will do an after study.
Do you want to keep it just to have the after study, speed study done?
If you'll indulge me, if you can kind of remind me the context,
I remember we had a lot of discussion about the median or not having the median,
and I don't remember the significance of why we said no member.
It was to kind of address the concerns that would otherwise have been--
So November was the construction schedule for that particular piece,
so we wanted to have a before study of whatever we're doing with the medians.
Right now we're keeping the medians, but the context was once the wider area,
the 20-foot lane in the parking area is completely redone,
what are the implications of having those put in and the new paper?
Is it going to be higher speed?
And once we determine that the speeds have gone up,
then we may come back and look at traffic calming on that section.
So that was the whole notion.
But the discussion that we had wasn't that after April,
in other words, there was a reason to want to do it to--
if we already had it, because it was in April, we wouldn't have had a reason to say this.
There's some logic to it.
The survey that was conducted in April was an answer to the first question that you had.
So you had a request that, "Hey, do we have a before study done?
Can we get that study done before the construction hits the ground?"
And we already had a before study done back in April.
So that was an answer, saying we already had the before numbers,
now we need the after numbers once the construction is complete.
When was the discussion, if you wouldn't remind me?
This was back in July.
So at that time, you must have agreed it's not totally stupid to put it on the list,
even though we already had the April study.
I did not know at the time when the request was made.
This is new information.
We found that we've already collected the information that you had asked for.
There's no need to do it again.
And that was the answer that was put in.
Sorry, it's confusing.
>> No, no, that makes more sense now.
>> We can keep it.
>> No, it's already answered.
We have a speed survey done before November.
I'd be interested to know what it said.
But the most important thing is you have a before and an after.
>> We have the before study already completed.
And then mobility plan, once the mobility plan is in place
and we have an idea of the CNP,
we'll talk about how we're laying projects out and construction fatigue.
The main request was the construction fatigue.
How do we move forward with the mobility plan project?
>> Yeah, kind of how do we time and face things so it addresses that?
>> I'll leave this on.
>> Do you want to take it off?
>> No, I'll leave this on.
>> Okay.
Do you want to talk about other items to add at this point?
>> Yes, we can add that.
>> Who's ready?
>> I have a few.
>> Go ahead.
>> Okay.
I would like to have an update on the small system projects that are left.
I know that there were some approved,
but there doesn't look like there's been any action on some intersections.
So, you know, what's the holdup?
Where are we?
And if you don't want to do a presentation,
you can update it in an email to us or a report.
It doesn't have to be a hold.
It's up to you guys.
It's how you want to get that information to us.
And speaking of speed studies,
there was a speed study done on King's Row, Nottingham, and Windsor several months back,
and I'm just wondering if we could get those results.
>> Okay.
King's Row, Nottingham.
And what's the last one?
>> I wanted to bring up the bike share.
I've seen some bikes back out into the right of way.
>> Oh, okay.
>> And I messaged Mark,
and he said that there was just so many more people using them from students and stuff,
and that they changed -- there's not a person who was doing it.
Resetting them and moving them is different.
So I just wanted to -- I'm not asking for anything.
I just kind of want to make sure that it's getting back to normal again after --
because the pilot was perfect.
I didn't see any issues.
And I'm really glad that people are using the bikes.
I just want to make sure that they're getting it back in the right spot.
That's all.
>> John?
>> I've got one, I'm not sure how to convey this.
But when we're doing construction on roads where we're closing off,
and I'll use the example that I went through yesterday on Shady Oaks,
there are resurvacings of the left and the straight lanes.
The left turn lanes are closed off.
So our sensors are not picking up that anybody wants to make a left-hand turn.
So as you were trying to go towards Teasley on Shady Oaks,
everybody was in basically the right turn lane having to go right, straight, or left,
and you'd get three or four cars through there per light cycle.
I was backed up beyond the curve because it's never getting a left-turn arrow
to let the people making a left get through there.
So that one person that wants to make a left stops in one car.
So when we're doing this construction,
can we come up with a game plan that the sensors can be taken offline,
that it just becomes a time cycle as opposed to using the sensor?
>> Yes.
>> Go ahead.
>> I've got an answer to the councilwoman's question on 380 Denbigh.
>> You know, the change of mutual terms is just council member.
I hear people struggle with this every meeting.
>> I'm not very politically correct.
>> Apparently they are just replacing the curve on the median.
You've been saying it exactly right there.
>> Thank you.
>> And we'll meet them on Thursday to make sure they never let us know things like that.
>> Yeah, and there's also a dead tree in there if they want to go ahead and replace that one.
>> I hear persistently from one constituent that the sidewalk connectivity
between Unbell, between University and McKinney is very spotty from an ADA point of view,
that like if you wanted to roll outside a wheelchair through there, you'd be very challenged.
I appreciate if you would just take a look and see if you think there's a pressing issue there.
And secondly, I have a question.
Stuart Birdside is going to ask you this at some point today.
Probably anyway, but he might as well ask him while we're here.
In the construction report, you note that the corner of Elm and Oak is to be closed for two months.
Is that the whole thing or just like one lane?
Traffic could be able to get through or not?
>> We're working on that one.
I'll get you an answer today so I don't be circulating back to Stuart.
>> Yeah, okay.
Just letting you know it's coming.
>> Sure.
>> That's all I've got.
>> And on the street closure report, Forest Ridge,
it showed that the south part is going to open up on the 11th.
Is that still the truth or is it open now?
>> They are still working on it, I think.
>> It looked like they had the last two-inch layer to layer down.
>> They're not finishing that completely.
I can get you a fixed date.
>> It's a little confusing since we've closed down the northbound while the southbound is still under construction.
The signage, I know we've only got so many lighted signs, but they got pulled up to Hobson.
So there's no signage up there letting people know that the southbound is going to open up if it's open or closed.
>> John, thanks.
We've already adjourned, apparently.
So anything else from a staff report point of view?
Okay, then I'm going to.
>> One last thing.
I just want to mention that there is a work session item on Hinkle parking related.
>> Yes.
>> That will be coming for it next week.
>> I guess today.
>> Oh, today.
I'm sorry.
>> Yeah.
>> Moving today.
Anything you want to tell us about it in advance or just leave us in suspense?
>> There is no suspense.
>> I'm just trying to ramp up the suspense.
>> Yeah, okay.
>> It's riveting.
>> It is riveting.
Okay, seeing that there are no further items, I'll adjourn the meeting at 1013.