Arlington bond package includes $160 million to fix the worst streets, sidewalks
The largest bond package in the city’s history includes more than $160 million to fix Arlington’s bumpy streets, buckled sidewalks and congested roadways.
Money for street improvement is the largest of four propositions totaling $236 million that Arlington voters will consider in Tuesday’s election. Residents will also vote on $60 million for parks and recreation projects, $9.78 million for fire facilities and $6.1 million for library improvements.
Early voting ends today.
Street and sidewalk conditions are typically among residents’ top complaints. Approving the sale of bonds will help Arlington rebuild some of the worst roadways and make other improvements across the city, City Council members said.
“Our roads continually erode, and we have to take care of them or they are worthless,” said Mayor Robert Cluck. The bond sale will not affect the city’s property tax rate, he said.
Just over $40 million of the street improvement proposition is designated to redesign and rebuild deteriorated residential streets that can no longer be repaired with patches, crack seals or repaving techniques that are funded by the city’s street maintenance sales tax.
“As an elected official, that is what I hear more than anything from our citizens: ‘Fix our streets,’ ” said Councilwoman Lana Wolff.
If the bonds are approved, the city will be able to put $30 million or $40 million a year toward major street repair, she said.
“We are not going to do them all at once,” she said. “You would have orange barrels everywhere.”
Another $5.5 million would go to rebuilding existing sidewalks that can no longer be repaired as well as build new sidewalks and ramps to improve accessibility for disabled people.
The rebuilt streets will be designed to last 50 years, and new smooth roads and sidewalks will help make Arlington neighborhoods more walkable and attractive, Wolff said.
“When you put in a new street, talk about a facelift!” Wolff said. “All of the sudden, the neighborhood goes, ‘Wow, this looks good,’ ”
Street bonds proposal
Bond money would also go to rebuild portions of several major thoroughfares. Many projects also include drainage improvements, streetlights and sidewalks.
In southwest Arlington, $15 million is designated for the design, acquisition of right of way and reconstruction of Eden Road between U.S. 287 and Calender Road.
Another $13.7 million would allow Arlington to widen and rebuild Turner Warnell Road between Matlock Road and South Cooper Street from two to four lanes.
And $8.2 million would go to rebuild Harris Road between South Cooper Street and Calender Road and $5.8 million to rebuild Calender Road between Harris and Eden roads.
“Many of the streets in this bond proposal are really connecting streets to neighborhoods from major thoroughfares. Many of them, particularly in the south part of the city, are some old country-type roads. They don’t have curbs and gutters and sidewalks,” said Councilwoman Sheri Capehart.
“That is a significant issue, particularly as more growth is happening down south and we have more schools coming online. People will really appreciate the difference it’s going to make to their daily commute, whether to work or the grocery store or the post office.”
In southeast Arlington, Matlock Road will be rebuilt and widened from four lanes to six lanes between Bardin Road and Green Oaks Boulevard if voters approve $14.4 million in funding. Voters will also decide on $3.2 million to connect Webb Lynn Road and New York Avenue to a future extension of Texas 360.
The city is also planning to construct a dedicated U-turn lane — known in the highway industry as a Texas U-turn — for $615,000 that will allow motorists to get from the westbound Interstate 20 frontage road to the eastbound frontage road without having to stop at the Bowen Road traffic light.
In east Arlington, $16.7 million would be combined to rebuild South Collins Street and Timberlake Drive between Texas 303 and Park Row Drive. Farther south, the city plans to widen and rebuild South Collins Street from four lanes to six lanes between Mayfield Road and Interstate 20 for $2.9 million.
The proposition also includes $16.2 million to rebuild sections of Avenue E and Avenue H between Texas 360 and Great Southwest Parkway in northeast Arlington.
Near Lake Arlington, $5.1 million is designated to rebuild and widen Pleasant Ridge Road, currently known as Bowman Spring Road, between Interstate 20 and Enchanted Bay Drive from two to four lanes. The city also wants $1.2 million to design and acquire right of way to build a future Pleasant Ridge Road between Plumwood Drive and Enchanted Bay Drive.
On nearby Poly Webb Road, Arlington seeks $3.2 million to rebuild that road between Pleasant Ridge Road and Shorewood Drive.
Another $5.4 million is designated for traffic signals and other devices, such as traffic management cameras and electronic message boards. Other proposals includes $1.8 million for roadway materials and construction testing and $335,000 to repair or relocate irrigation systems during road construction.
This story was originally published October 30, 2014 at 6:00 PM with the headline "Arlington bond package includes $160 million to fix the worst streets, sidewalks."