Mobility panel highlights projects

Southlake resident Lauren Boeck knew something was happening near her home, she just didn’t know what.

“We just moved here a year ago and I was curious about development,” she said.

At Tuesday night’s Expanding Mobility Town Hall Forum, Boeck got the chance to speak with a city engineer and some neighbors to learn about the planned work to expand White’s Chapel Boulevard to four lanes and other city, and regional mobility projects.

Roughly 50 people attended the forum which included a panel discussion featuring State Rep. Giovanni Capriglione, Tarrant County Commissioner Gary Fickes, Texas Department of Transportation’s Loyl Bussell, Dan Kessler with the North Central Texas Council of Governments and Bob Price, the city’s Public Works Director.

The panel included a question-and-answer session, and most questions focused on concerns for residents getting through their city.

Resident David Lee was the first to offer a question and wanted information about plans mobility on Southlake Boulevard. He said he took him 37 minutes to drive about 3 miles from Carroll Avenue to Davis Boulevard along FM 1709. While, Price said he has not experienced delays of that length on the thoroughfare, he said the city will continue to look at improving signal timing to get vehicles through the roadway.

Price added most of the traffic is from drivers outside of Southlake including those that are avoiding construction on Texas 114 and funneling onto the city’s main roadway.

Kessler said FM 1709, like other Farm to Market roads are now “Subdivision to Job” roads and the key is improving intersections and signal progression.

A couple residents asked about traffic on Carroll Avenue near Southlake Town Square. Several residents live in neighborhoods that have their entrance on Carroll Avenue and have had trouble getting in and out to their homes.

Price said stop lights will be added to the Federal Way intersection that will help.

“Once that signal goes in, that will create gaps in traffic allowing traffic in and out of Lakewood,” he said.

Price added the city will seek other opportunities for other access routes to the neighborhoods.

The panel also discussed the future of transportation in the state in region, with funding for mobility projects become more limited.

“One of the top priorities in the next legislative session is trying to find a way to handle those infrastructure needs,” Capriglione said.

Fickes said partnerships will be important.

Mayor Pro Tem Laura Hill said she was happy with the turnout and the citizens’ participation.

“There was a lot of positive input and people really thought about, ‘Let’s think forward.,’ ” she said.

In addition to the handful of questions asked at the event, organizers received several questions via email. Panel moderator Craig Rothmeier said the city is working to get those questions answered as well. Rothmeier added he was pleased with citizens’ involvement and the variety of questions.

“The objective was to start a dialogue and we accomplished that,” he said.

This story was originally published December 23, 2014 at 10:11 AM with the headline "Mobility panel highlights projects."