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- Effectiveness and Equity
- Transportation Actions
About NCTCOG
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Improvements to Hickory Tree Road were recommended in the 2019 Balch Springs Mobility Plan and 2036 Comprehensive Plan.
Project Background (cont.)
Hickory Tree Road Planning Study
Funding partners include NCTCOG, County, TxDOT, and City of Balch Springs
• Anticipated FY 22-25: Engineering, Right of Way, Utilities, & Construction
$13.5M Total: $8.2M Federal / $5.3M Local (County) / 260K Regional Transportation Development Credits
April 2021: RTC approved COVID Round 4 funding award for Phase 1 Hickory Tree Road construction: Elam Road to Lake June Road
Elam Road to Bruton Road
staff to develop context-sensitive corridor plan facilitating economic growth
Corridor length: 2.03 miles
Project Limits: Hickory Tree Road, from Bruton Rd to Elam Road
Planning Project Limits
- Facilitate economic opportunity along the study corridor
- Connect key amenities and services along the study corridor
- Schools, Parks, Municipal Buildings, Commercial Areas
- Increase comfort
- Increase safety for bicyclists and pedestrians
- Enhance bicycle/pedestrian experience along the study corridor
it and meet the needs of the community
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- Opportunities exist to strengthen pedestrian connections for students to surrounding neighborhoods
- Dismissals cause heavy congestion on Hickory Tree Road at the schools
- NCTCOG, City of Balch Springs, City of Mesquite (McWhorter Only)
- McWhorter Elementary and Floyd Elementary Dismissal Observations: 5/2021
- Evidence of walking was strong even with limited infrastructure, driver safety was a concern
- NCTCOG & City of Balch Springs
Walk Audit: 12/3/2020
Site Visits
Hickory Tree Road Planning Study
Pre-recorded presentation, questionnaire about preliminary recommendations and planning project work to date
Virtual Open House: September 2021-November 2021
- Residents, Business Owners, Technical Stakeholders
- Virtual Stakeholder Meetings: June 2021
- Respondents reported low rates of walking or biking, but high desire with safer conditions. Congestion, driveway exits were points of concern.
- Travel modes, safety concerns, future visions for corridor
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Bicycle/pedestrian safety and improvements
Queuing for pick up/drop-off at schools
Congestion management
Major Considerations:
Future traffic volumes
Improve safety for bicycle/pedestrian
Improve congestion
Why:
Three-lane roadway with center turn lane and pedestrian refuge islands at key crossing locations
NCTCOG's Cross-Section Recommendation
Hickory Tree Road Planning Study
- Maintain access to driveways for homes and businesses, reduce queueing behind drivers waiting for left turns
Access Management
• Hickory Tree Road is a parallel route to I-635 and used to avoid difficult nearby intersections
Pass-Through Traffic
• Strong desire to walk and bike but limited infrastructure
Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety
Many located in the right-of-way that would need to be relocated
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• Priority placement locations at schools, parks, etc.
7 6' Edwsk 2½'
• Pedestrian Refuge Islands
- Maximizes access to businesses
- Vehicles waiting to turn left no longer cause back-ups
Pedestrian Refuge Island: Image Courtesy of Dan Burden
• Allows for left and right driveway exits
Center Turn Lane:
Note: exact placement of spot-based recommendations will be explored during the design phase of the project.
Recommendations
Center Turn Lane: Imagery Courtesy of Google
Recommended Cross-Section: 3-Lane Cross-Section with Added Ped Refuges: 70' ROW
Hickory Tree Road Planning Study
Current Cross-Section: 2-Lanes with limited Bike/Ped Amenities: 60' ROW 12' Multi-Use Path for bikes and pedestrians + buffer space from roadway Maintain travel lane widths and add pedestrian refuge island/center turn lane 6' Sidewalk for pedestrians and buffer space from roadway
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- Any other areas with safety concerns
- Parks
- Schools
- Possible locations include:
- Once pedestrian crosses, road returns to normal conditions
- Beacon activates to temporarily halt traffic to allow pedestrians to safely cross
Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon
Recommendations (cont.)
- Additional lighting
- Vehicle stop lines
- Crosswalk warning signs
- High visibility crosswalk paint
- Concepts for all mid-block crosswalks:
- Improve visibility of crosswalks in all weather and lighting conditions
Crossing Safety Enhancements
Crossing Safety Enhancements: Photo Courtesy of Dan Sundstrom
- Shared-use path: >10', shared by bikes and pedestrians
- Sidewalks: 5-6', meant for pedestrians
Shared-use Path: Photo Courtesy of Fort Worth
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Erin Curry Transportation Planner ECurry@nctcog.org
Shawn Conrad Principal Transportation Planner SConrad@nctcog.org Chris Dyser Community Development Department Director CDyser@cityofbalchsprings.com
Karla Windsor, AICP Senior Program Manager KWeaver@nctcog.org
CONTACT US
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William Freeman Public Works Director WFreeman@cityofbalchsprings.com
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