TrafficandParkingStudyforPrestonCenter:

TheCheapVersionJonAnderson

WhyWait?

JenniferGatestaskforceplanisyearsawayfrommeaningfuldeliverables.However,finiteinfrastructuremakesoptionsequallyfinite.IvecapturedtheissuesandoptionsfortrafficandparkingsurroundingPrestonCenter.Theareaplanmaybethicker,butthesefewpageslikelycapture90%ofthatreportsfindings today.

Overviewofcurrenttrafficandparkingproblemareas Overviewofthefundamentalunderpinningsoftheproblems Thesolutionstotrafficandparkingproblems Thereasonmeaningfulsolutionsaredoubtful WhattheCityCouncilshoulddo

CurrentStateofPrestonCenterAreaTrafficandParking

PrestonCenterArea:Traffic

Whatweknow: Thetrafficsignalsareterriblytimedandsynchronized. TXDoT controlsNorthwestHwy(andisillsynchedto)UniversityParkcontrolledPrestonRd

Increaseddensitywilllikelyonlyhaveimpactontrafficduringpeaktimes. NorthwestHwyandPrestonRdareovertaxedtothepointthatdriverscutthroughresidentialstreetstomitigatedelays.

WestboundtrafficisbackeduptoPickwickandbeyond

EastboundtrafficisbackedupwestoftheTollwaytopastPrestonRd.

SouthboundtrafficisbackedupbytheUniversityParktrafficsignalatBerkshire(locatedonly295southofNorthwestHwy).ItstooclosetoallowthemaximumnumberofcarstocleartheNorthwestHwyandPrestonintersection.

PrestonCenterArea:Traffic (cont)

Whatweknow: Pooralignmentbetweeneasttowest

roadwayscrossingPrestonRdmakesPrestonCenterentry/exitdifficult. Onthewestside,LutherandSherryarethestraightestrunsinandoutofPrestonCenterWesttoPrestonRoad.

BerkshireistheleastefficientroadtomovetrafficoutofPrestonCenterEastorWest.

FromPrestonCenterWest,theparkinggarageandonewaystreetsmakeitaninefficientlabyrinth.

TheonlyreasontheresatrafficsignalisbecauseofPrestonCenterEast/Westalighment.

BerkshireistheworstpossibleintersectiontohaveatrafficsignaltomovethemosttrafficthroughthePrestonRoadandNorthwestHwyintersection.

PrestonCenterArea:Traffic

Whatweknow: BecauseoftheclosenessoftheBerkshiretrafficsignal,theJanuary2016additionofasecondturninglanefromwestboundNorthwestHwytosouthboundPrestonRd.willmakecongestionworse Theresultwilltrytosendtwicethetrafficintothesamealreadybottleneckedspace.

TheonlyoutcomeofthesecondturninglanewillbetoaddspacetostackcarsonNorthwestHwywaitingtoturn.

Itwillnotincreasethenumberofcarsmakingtheturnduringeachsignalcycle.

PrestonCenterArea:Traffic (cont)

Whatweknow: OfficehighrisessurroundingDouglascause

backupsduringpeaktimes.

Differingfrommorningrush,eveningrushoutofdowntownputsaddedpressureonLomoAlto.DriversexitingtheTollwaymeettrafficemptyingontoLomoAltotryingtoavoidDouglas. MorningpeakcreatesbottlenecksonNorthwestHwyatDouglasandtheTollwayintersections.

Duringpeaks,NorthwestHwyisbackedupfromtheTollwaytopastPickwick.

ThereasonsareDouglastrafficsignalistooclosetotheTollwayandinflexibletrafficsignaltimingfortheamountofcars.

DriverseastoftheTollwayareimpactedbythesameTollway/Douglastrafficsignalbottleneck.

PrestonCenterArea:Parking

Whatweknow: PrestonCenterEast hasampleparking.

Singleownercomplexprovidesacombinationofundergroundandsurfaceparking.

PrestonCenterWest: Antiquatedinfrastructureresultingfromfragmentedownershipunabletoagree.

800carcentralgarageisoutdated,poorlymaintainedandfrozenbylandlordindecision

Centralgarageisunderutilizedfor21hourseachworkdayand24hoursoverweekends.

Todayonlymodestcapacityincreasesareneeded.

Streetparkingimpactedbyonewayroads Currentandfuturehighriseshavelittleimpactonparkingbecausetheysupplytheirownparkinggarages

ConstrainedSpace;ControlledOptions

LimitedPhysicalSpaceLimitsOptions:Traffic

PrestonRoad,NorthwestHwyandTollwayexits/entrancesareafixedsize,physicallylimitingthenumberofcarscapableoftraversingthem.

Notrafficstudyorroutechangecanappreciablyalterthis;nodifferentthanagallonjugholdingexactlyonegallonbeforeoverflowing.

Thereasonthereisneighborhoodcutthroughtrafficisbecausethesemainarteriesarealreadyoverburdenedduringpeakhours.

Evenwithcapacityincreases,neighborhoodcutthroughisinevitable.(iffewerpeoplecutthrough,otherswouldseetheemptyroadsandbegintousethem.)

SurgicalSolutionsVsWholesaleCapacityGrowth

ThegoodnewsisthatmoderntraffictheorystatesthatmassivelyincreasingcapacitieswillNOTresultinlessfullroadways;regardlessoffuturedevelopment.

Forexample,ifNorthwestHwywereincreasedto10lanes,trafficwouldquicklyshiftandrefilltotheexistingcongestionlevels.(e.g.Ifyoubuildit,theywillcome.)

Changemustbesubtleanddeliberate Thegoalmustbetomaketheexistingroadsmoreefficientandtoaddselectivecapacityincreases.

Theonlyachievablegoalbeingtomovetrafficto/fromtheimmediateareaasefficientlyaspossibleunderstandingthereisnocureforpeakhourcongestion

ParkingIsntaHugeProblem;ButtheParkingGarageIs Beingoverburdenedonlyduringweekdaylunchhours,thecurrentcentralgarageonlyneedsminorcapacityincreasestoservicetodaysneeds.

However,doublingcapacitywouldpositionitforfutureneedsandenablethegaragetohelpwithtrafficflow

BUT Thecurrentownershipandparkingrightsarrangementisabuiltinstalematetoimprovement

Theresultingeyesoreanddisagreementholdsbackreinvestmentandcommerceinthearea.

TheOptions:Traffic

MaintainingtheStatusQuoasDevelopmentisaddedtoPrestonCenterArea PrestonCentercongestionwillneverbeeliminatedduringpeaktimes,butchangescanincreasetheamountoftrafficsupported

ThegoalmustbetotreatPrestonCenterasadestinationandONLYmovetrafficin orout,notthroughit.

Itiscounterproductivetocreatecutthroughs toandfromotherdestinations E.g.WeretheCitytowidenNorthwestHighwayfromtheTollwaytoCentral,itwouldattracttrafficfromelsewheremakingNorthwestHighwayandPrestonCentertrafficfarworsethancurrentcongestion.

TheSolution:NorthwestHighway

WidenNorthwestHwybetweenPickwickandtheTollwaytowidenandlengthenallturninglanesintersectingPreston,PrestonCenter,DouglasandtheTollway.

ConstructinghighercapacityturninglanesreducestheincursionofcarsintothethroughlanestraversingtheTollwayandPrestonRd.(essentiallygivingturningtrafficalongerrunway)

Buttrafficneedssomewheretogo,thereforeeliminatingtheBerkshire/PrestonRdtrafficsignalandthesynchronization/programmingofNorthwestHwy/Douglassignalarecritical.

InstallsmarttrafficsignalatDouglastoensurebestmovementbetweentheTollwayandPrestonRoad

TheSolution:PrestonRoad

FourtrafficsignalsexistbetweenNorthwestHwyandCentenaryAve.(2/10th ofamile)

RemovetrafficsignalatBerkshire At295southofNorthwestHwy(17carsperlane),thereisntenoughspacetocleartheNorthwestHwyandPrestonRd.intersectionatpeakhours.

AddsignalatWentwoodDr.andsynchwithexistingSherryLanesignal

Threetimesasmanycarscouldbeaccommodated GivessignaledentranceandexitforPrestonCenterEast

RemovalsignalatCentenaryAve

Bottleneck

TheSolution:PrestonRoad(cont)

Continue6lanePrestonRdbetweenNorthwestHwyandSherryLane

Thisminorchangewillshiftthezipperof3to2laneswellsouthofNorthwestHwy.

Again,dependentontheremovalofthePrestonRd.andBerkshiretrafficsignal.

WidenSherryLanetooffsettrafficmovementfromeliminationofBerkshiretrafficsignal.

TheSolution:TollwayAccess

BetterSouthboundTollwayAccess ExtendDouglasAvesfourlanestoColgateAve. AddabridgecrossingTollwayconnectingColgatetoEasternAve.toshuttletraffictothesouthboundTollwayentranceatEastern/LoversLane.

BetterNorthboundTollwayAccess WidenLomoAltofromLoversLanetoNorthwestHwytoshuttlenorthboundtraffictoPrestonCenter.

TheSolutionforParking

DemolishexistingPrestonCenterWestgarageandbuilda4levelundergroundlottoppedbyaparklikeSanFranciscosUnionSquare.

TheCityofDallasrequiresnoagreementorspecialzoning.Parkingcapacityisdoubledwithanicetownsquaregreenspace

Doublingparkingcapacitywillenablethecitytoeliminatesomestreetparking,convertonewayroadstotwowayandincreaseroadwayefficiency.

Installingelevatorsandotherhandicapaccessibletechnologieswillmakethegaragemoreusable

Theendresultisthatamarginallymaintainedeyesoreistransformedandtrafficmovesmoreefficiently

Quickerrandandtogorestaurantpickupsareaccommodatedbymeteredstreetparkingwith30minutelimits

TheSolution:PrestonCenter:TwoLaneRoadsEliminateOneWayRoadsatPrestonCenterWest RemovestreetparkingononewaysectionsofWestchase Dr.,LutherLane,BerkshireLane,KateSt.

Increasestrafficmobilityandreducesblockcircling

AcquirepropertyatKateSt.andLuthertostraightenKateSt.

MoreefficientshuttlingoftrafficawayfromBerkshireandtowardsSherryLane

SolutionSummary

PrestonRoad RemovetrafficsignalsatBerkshireLaneandCentenaryDr

Blockleftturnsto/fromBerkshireLaneandPreston AddtrafficsignalWentwood Drive WidenPrestonRoadto6lanesfromNorthwestHwytoSherryLane

NorthwestHighway WidenfromPickwicktoTollway Increasecapacityoftollwayentrance/exitandPrestonRd.turninglanes InstallstateoftheartsmarttrafficsignalatDouglasAve.

SolutionSummary

DouglasAvenue Extend4lanesfromNorthwestHwytoColgateAve.

ColgateAvenue AddoverpassatTollwayconnectingtoEastern(connectingtoTollwaysouth)

PrestonCenterWest Demolishandrebuild4storyundergroundparkinggaragewithstreetleveltownsquaregreenspace

AcquirepropertyatKateSt.andLutherLanetostraightenKateSt. Eliminatestreetparkingtoconvertonewayroadstotwoway

TheOptions:Development

MixedResidentialandCommercialDevelopmentistheBestOption Residentialandcommercialhaveslightlydifferenttrafficpatterns

Ifaworkdayisfrom8:30amto5:00pm,aworkerwillleavehomebetween7:308:00amandarrivehomebetween5:306:00pm.

Residentialdevelopmentwillgeneratethebiggestwaveofareaexitsinthemorningbeforemostareaworkersarriveandintheeveningarriveaftermostworkershaveleft

Commercialdevelopmentwillseethebiggestwaveofworkersarrivingaftercommutingresidentshaveleftinthemorningandleavebeforeresidentsreturnhomeintheevening

Mixedusedevelopmentencouragesworkerstoliveclosetowork Residentialdevelopmentcoupledwithshoppingreducesoveralltrips Trafficwise,theleasttaxingdevelopmentsminimizepeakhourcommuting

Residential:seniorcare,retirementliving,unitstargetingparttimeresidents,live/workspaces

LunchHourCongestion

MuchhasbeenmadeofweekdaylunchhourcongestionatPrestonCenterWest(thefewhoursparkingiscurrentlyaproblem)

Addeddevelopmentwillhavelittleeffect Residentialdevelopmentwillnotaddtocongestion(theyphysicallywontbeinthearea)

Commercialdevelopmentwillhaveonlymildeffects Workersatnewcommercialdevelopmentswillwalkfromtheirownparkingstructures. Increaseswillonlycomefromthosedinersmeetingintheareaandnotparkinginahostsofficebuildingparking.

Iftheparkingstructureisexpandedassuggested,parkingwillceasetobeaproblematall

But

Unfortunately

Acquiringlandviaeminentdomainrequiresmoneyandwill However,someownerslikeMarkCubanmaydonatelandfromtheirholdingsinexchangeforafairhearingoftheirplans.

WorkonDouglasandPrestonRoadrequirescooperationfromUniversityPark AddingaTollwayoverpassatColgaterequiresthewill,themoneyandNTTA InstallingsmarttrafficsignalsalongNorthwestHwyrequiresmoney(andlikelyaholisticDallasplan)

IdonotbelievetheCityofDallashasthewillnorthebudgettoenactanyofthesesolutions.IwonderwhythePrestonCenterTaskForceareaplan(whichwilllikelylookverysimilartothesefewpages)isbeingallowedtostalldecisionstodaysurroundingPrestonCenterwhenitshighlyunlikelythereportwillbeactedupon.

TheCityCouncilsRealisticOptions

Stopstallingdevelopment Createanindependent,nonpoliticaltaskforcetoholdopendiscussionsanddebates

Worktobarterwithdevelopersandcurrentlandownersfundincrementalimprovements

Thiswillrequirebreakingdownoptionsintomanageablechunkssortedbyoverallareaimpact

Workwithdeveloperstofundprojectsinexchangeforsupport Encouragecurrentlandowners,notlookingtoredeveloptheirproperties,tostillcontribute.Moredevelopment,morecustomersfortheirbusinesses.

Summary

Theissuesareclear Thesolutionsareclearandmorefinitethanmanybelieve Developerfundingistheonlyfinanciallyrealisticoptionforchange TheCityCouncilskeyrolesare

FindadiplomaticormonetaryoptiontobreaktheparkinggaragecartelinPrestonCenterWest orjustbuildtheundergroundparkingandparkconcept

Providepoliticalwilltoacquirepropertiesnecessarytoplan WorkwithUniversityParktoalieveaproblemthatequallyeffectstheirresidentsandbusinesses.