Regional transportation planners, with the help of the public, are considering ways to better connect Fair Park with downtown Dallas via Deep Ellum.
Draft concepts for road and intersection reconstruction, bike paths and public transportation improvements were again shared with the public at the second of a series of public meetings on Tuesday. The proposal would integrate urban improvements with planned highway projects, including changes to Interstate 30 and Interstate 345, according to the North Central Texas Council of Governments Regional Transportation Council. be.
“We want to create a route that accommodates all modes of transportation and has opportunities to generate economic development for the community,” City Council Director Michael Morris said.
The intersections that are attracting attention are:
- Elm Street and Exposition Avenue (including potential two-way conversion from Elm to Exposition to Good Latimer Expressway)
- commercial exhibition
- Exhibition on Canton Street
- South Haskell Avenue and East Grand Avenue
Road changes being considered include:
- Connect Grand Avenue directly to Haskell Avenue with a three-way “right in/right out” right-turn restricted intersection to McKenzie Street in Haskell. Connect West Alley to Grand Avenue at a similar intersection.
- End Carroll Avenue at Phillip Avenue and extend Phillip to Stonewall Street.
- Abandon the connection from Ann Avenue to Stonewall Street/Gurley Avenue.
- Fletcher Street ends at Peak Street
City Council is recommending that Fairpark Gate 3 at Parry Avenue and Washington Street be closed due to the danger to pedestrians.
“This is kind of a safety hazard, to say the least,” said Jesse Brown, the city's transportation planner. “This is exactly where the DART line crosses, but he has to look behind his shoulder to cross safely.”
Plans suggest new gates should be built at Gurley Avenue and Grand Avenue instead.
Dallasites looking to get around without the need for a car will benefit from increased bus service between Fair Park and downtown, stronger connections to MLK Junior Station, and increased use of microtransit for first-mile and last-mile connections. May benefit from improved transportation.
“Big ideas” for transportation enhancements include extending the Trinity Railroad Express from EBJ Union Station to Fair Park. A mobility hub has been installed at the DART Fair Park Station, and the Parry Avenue Transitway has been installed between Fair Park Gates 3 and 4, providing safer connections for buses, rail, and pedestrians.
Changes such as a freight-only curbside delivery zone and physical barriers separating bicycle and pedestrian lanes are aimed at improving the movement of goods and pedestrian safety within the area.
Bicycle enhancements will connect Commerce Street to the Santa Fe Trail and the Fair Park DART station on the east side of Deep Ellum via bike lanes in each direction or two-way segregated bike lanes on the south side of Canton and the east side of Canton The emphasis is on that. exposition.
A speed and traffic study, as well as a Canton Street right-of-way study, will be the next steps to determine how to proceed.
The council will also run special event simulations to see how weekend events that draw a lot of traffic will impact plans. He will hold three more public meetings before the final report is released this summer.
Residents can submit comments online during the study period.
