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## NCTCOG PRESENTATION HICKORY TREE ROAD PLANNING STUDY

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SHAWN CONRAD – PRINCIPAL TRANSPORTATION PLANNER 10.12.22

## About NCTCOG

• North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG)

Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Dallas-Fort Worth region

• Regional Transportation Council (RTC)

• Transportation Actions

• Funding of “Projects and Programs”

• Effectiveness and Equity

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www.nctcog.or

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staff to develop context-sensitive corridor plan facilitating economic growth

Elam Road to Bruton Road

April 2021: RTC approved COVID Round 4 funding award for Phase 1 Hickory Tree Road construction: Elam Road to Lake June Road

$13.5M Total: $8.2M Federal / $5.3M Local (County) / 260K Regional Transportation Development Credits

• Anticipated FY 22-25: Engineering, Right of Way, Utilities, & Construction

Funding partners include NCTCOG, County, TxDOT, and City of Balch Springs

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Hickory Tree Road Planning Study

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/CULT.

### Project Background (cont.)

Improvements to Hickory Tree Road were recommended in the 2019 Balch Springs Mobility Plan and 2036 Comprehensive Plan.

## BALCH SPRINGS

LOCATION MAP

#### #5 – HICKORY TREE ROAD. PHASE 1 (LAKE JUNE ROAD TO ELM ROAD). PHASE 2 (BRUTON ROAD TO LAKE JUNE ROAD)

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<table border=1 style='margin: auto; word-wrap: break-word;'><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Existing</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Planned</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Lanes</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>3 lane undivided(two-way left turn lane)</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Sidewalks</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>✓</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Bicycle/Trol</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>✓</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Transit Route</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>✓</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Freight Route</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>-</td></tr></table>




<table border=1 style='margin: auto; word-wrap: break-word;'><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Institute &amp; Congestion</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Pedestrian/ Multimodal</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Safety</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Economic Development</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Freight</td><td rowspan="2">[F4]</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>✓</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>✓</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>✓</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>✓</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'></td></tr></table>

## 

Batch Springs Mobility Plan Project Candidates


<table border=1 style='margin: auto; word-wrap: break-word;'><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Project Type</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Roadway Widening</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Thoroughness Classification</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Collector</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Length</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>2.03 mi</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>From</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Brion Road</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>To</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>Elon Road</td></tr></table>

## 

Current traffic volumes are at or near capacity for segments of Hickory Tree Rd between Bruton Rd and Elam Rd; the Phase 1 segment (Ioke June Road to Elam Road) is the highest priority for improvements

Current roadway does not have continuous sidewalks



## 

The lack of separation to ten-turning vehicles can increase overall roadway delay

Moderate crash rate between Lake June Rd and Bam Rd


<table border=1 style='margin: auto; word-wrap: break-word;'><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>2018 Traffic Count</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>9,200</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>2018 V/C</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>1.05</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>2018 LOS</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>F</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>2045 V/C</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>1.41</td></tr><tr><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>2045 LOS</td><td style='text-align: center; word-wrap: break-word;'>F</td></tr></table>

## 



- Comprehensive Plan recommendations

- Improve Hickory free Road in coordination with planned development

- Widend roadway to 3 lanes to improve traffic flow and support access to development

- Add sidewalk and a shared-use path to accommodate pedestrian and bicycle travel

- Additional right-of-way may be necessary at major intersections for turn-lane storage

- Implementation could occur in phases, with the segment from Lake June 2020 to Blam Road recommended for improvement in Phase 1

## 

Parkway Travel Lane Two-Way Travel Lane Parkway

Left Turn Lane

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it and meet the needs of the community

• Enhance bicycle/pedestrian experience along the study corridor

• Increase safety for bicyclists and pedestrians

• Increase comfort

• Connect key amenities and services along the study corridor

• Schools, Parks, Municipal Buildings, Commercial Areas

• Facilitate economic opportunity along the study corridor

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## Planning Project Limits

Project Limits: Hickory Tree Road, from Bruton Rd to Elam Road

Corridor length: 2.03 miles

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• Travel modes, safety concerns, future visions for corridor

• Respondents reported low rates of walking or biking, but high desire with safer conditions. Congestion, driveway exits were points of concern.

Virtual Stakeholder Meetings: June 2021

• Residents, Business Owners, Technical Stakeholders

Virtual Open House: September 2021-November 2021

Pre-recorded presentation, questionnaire about preliminary recommendations and planning project work to date

Hickory Tree Road Planning Study

## Site Visits

Walk Audit: 12/3/2020

• NCTCOG & City of Balch Springs

Evidence of walking was strong even with limited infrastructure, driver safety was a concern

McWhorter Elementary and Floyd Elementary

Dismissal Observations: 5/2021

• NCTCOG, City of Balch Springs, City of Mesquite (McWhorter Only)

- Dismissals cause heavy congestion on Hickory Tree Road at the schools

• Opportunities exist to strengthen pedestrian connections for students to surrounding neighborhoods

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Many located in the right-of-way that would need to be relocated

## Bicycle and Pedestrian Safety

• Strong desire to walk and bike but limited infrastructure

## Pass-Through Traffic

• Hickory Tree Road is a parallel route to I-635 and used to avoid difficult nearby intersections

## Access Management

- Maintain access to driveways for homes and businesses, reduce queueing behind drivers waiting for left turns

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Hickory Tree Road Planning Study

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## NCTCOG's Cross-Section Recommendation

## Three-lane roadway with center turn lane and pedestrian refuge islands at key crossing locations

## Major Considerations:

Access to homes/businesses

Congestion management

Queuing for pick up/drop-off at schools

Bicycle/pedestrian safety and improvements

Pedestrian crossing treatments

## Why:

Improve access to businesses / residences

Improve congestion

Room for bicyclists and pedestrians to travel safely

Improve safety for bicycle/pedestrian

Future traffic volumes

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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



Recommended Cross-Section:

3-Lane Cross-Section with

Added Ped Refuges:

 70' ROW

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Hickory Tree Road Planning Study

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## Recommendations

Note: exact placement of spot-based recommendations will be explored during the design phase of the project.

## Center Turn Lane:

• Allows for left and right driveway exits

• Vehicles waiting to turn left no longer cause back-ups

• Maximizes access to businesses

## • Pedestrian Refuge Islands

• Increases safety for crossing multi-lane road

• Allows pedestrians to focus on one direction of traffic at a time

• Priority placement locations at schools, parks, etc.

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Center Turn Lane: Imagery Courtesy of Google

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Pedestrian Refuge Island: Image Courtesy of Dan Burden

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• Sidewalks: 5-6', meant for pedestrians

• Shared-use path: >10', shared by bikes and pedestrians

## Crossing Safety Enhancements

- Improve visibility of crosswalks in all weather and lighting conditions

• Concepts for all mid-block crosswalks:

• High visibility crosswalk paint

Crosswalk warning signs

Vehicle stop lines

• Additional lighting

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Shared-use Path: Photo Courtesy of Fort Worth

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Crossing Safety Enhancements: Photo Courtesy of Dan Sundstrom

### Recommendations (cont.)

## Pedestrian Hybrid Beacon

• Beacon activates to temporarily halt traffic to allow pedestrians to safely cross

• Once pedestrian crosses, road returns to normal conditions

• Possible locations include:

• Schools

• Parks

• Any other areas with safety concerns

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Study

Completed

Summer 2022

23

Utilities: FY 24

Construction: FY 25



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ROW Acquisition

Meetings with property owners after final roadway design complete

Construction & Utilities

Construction schedule and traffic access discussion to come



North Central Texas Council of Governments BALCH SPRINGS

## CONTACT US

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Karla Windsor, AICP

Senior Program Manager

KWeaver@nctcog.org

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Shawn Conrad

Principal Transportation

Planner

SConrad@nctcog.org

Chris Dyser

Community Development

Department Director

CDyser@cityofbalchsprings.com



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Erin Curry

Transportation Planner

ECurry@nctcog.org

William Freeman

Public Works Director

WFreeman@cityofbalchsprings.com

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