Bjorn send emails to all Town Council members to get their offical positions on the project. The following are published unedited.
My name is Bjorn Vandug and I am a Flower Mound resident. As you might be aware of at this time we are a group of concerned citizens that initiated the StopMorriss6 project. On March 10th, 2009 we had a very successful meeting at Fire Station #1. We had representatives from the Town of Flower Mound, two candidates running for town council, the news media and over 200 residents attending.
During our question and answer session one of residents asked the following question:
What is the position of our Mayor and the Council Representatives on this issue?
We are currently researching answers on many of the questions we received on last Tuesday, and ask that you please provide us with your stand on the expansion of Morriss Road/Gerault.
Regardless of the StopMorriss6 group’s opinion, your answer is important and will be conveyed as stated by you.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me via e-mail or at xxx-xxx-xxxx
Sincerely,
Bjorn Vandug
StopMorriss6
Responses:
Hi Mr. Vandug,
Thanks for the email. My answer would be that I want to continue to get all the facts. I want to hear everyone's input. I will say that the decision I make, as it is with all road issues, will be based on what is best for the entire town. As you have probably discovered in your research, there has not been a road expansion in this town that someone has not been against....and the reasons presented "against" are always safety and property values. I think folks will be relieved to know that I am not aware of any road expansion, new road, etc. that has led to decreased property values or increased risk. In fact, the people who typically speak against the roads are almost always the ones who end up using them!
Road issues are always difficult....because they are one of those things that are desperatly needed....as long as it's not in someone's backyard. Obviously, with a growing town like Flower Mound....we all want and need better roads...but understandbly the folks against them are the ones near them. People were against expanding 3040, 2499 and 1171. We received threats for expanding Gerault....for agreeing to expand Windsor...and I could go on and on. And yet the whole town needs and utilizes the roads!
I have not yet heard a solid argument against the need to expand Morris, so I am hoping residents will have some data. It does need to be beyond property value however (homes near a road with an existing four lanes are not going to decrease with an additional 2 lanes). I live next to 1171 that is going from 2 lanes to 6 lanes....and my property value has not dropped (as an example). In fact, the expansion of Morriss has been on the books for many many years because of the need....so I will need to understand what has changed to make it no longer needed.
So, I want to hear from everyone. But if the expansion is still needed, I will support it (I won't leave it to a future council just because its a tough decision). If residents prove it is not needed for the whole town, I will support that.
Hope that helps explain my thoughts. If you pass along my thoughts, I ask that you pass along all of them and not just parts of my email.
Look forward to hearing from you.
All the best.
Joel
Bjorn,
Thank you for your email. Congratulations on your successful meeting concerning the Morriss Road expansion. That is great to see so many residents turning out like that. It is good to see your neighborhoods getting involved in this important decision.
As for the Morriss Road expansion, I do support it, simply because it is on the Master Plan and has been on it since 1981. As you know, we need more north/south connections as our Town continues to grow. Now, hearing that, I want you to know I am always interested and very willing to listen to our Town's citizens. When I see a meeting taking place of over 200 residents voicing a concerning, I will definitely listen. If I am presented compelling reasons in which changing the Master Plan is better for our community, then I am open to listening.
My suggestion to you is to keep holding your meetings, gather signatures, and present the Town with your suggestions as to how we can make Morriss Road a better and safer connection. Please know that the Town Council is always open to listening to our residents. We are hear to serve you.
Thanks,
Tim Trotter
Flower Mound Town Council, Place 3
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I would agree that portions of Morriss could be expanded. Namely a section from 407 to the development or from 407 to 1171 with a small section to handle turning traffic at 1171 coming from the south.
ReplyDeleteOnce 2499 is built out traffic will decrease on Morriss to the point that any expansion will not be needed. It is hard to find the information from the TIA survey, and I doubt it included this data. Western Flower Mound will turn to 2499 for quicker access to the development, and traffic from Lewisville would be split between Valley Ridge and 1171.
The rest of Morriss could be left alone. The remaining money could be used instead on a small section of Garden Ridge to connect it to Freeport Pky so residents can use it for access to 121 there instead of having to go towards lewisville or over to Morriss. That section is just a small section of woods that borders a development there.
That's a smart way to go about it, not by creating a urban scar across a nice street that people have grown to like.
Regarding Joel's response "the expansion of Morriss Rd. has been on the books for many, many years because of the need" Will someone please explain to me the many many years of NEED there has been to expand Morriss Rd? Because something has been on the books for many many years does not make it the right thing to do. That kind of thinking is very scary to me. We used to drive without seatbelts, bike without helmets, we have don't do the same things we did 27 years ago because we know better now. The times are changing, the demographics are changing. We need everyone to think 2009 and meet the current needs not projected needs 27 years ago. At some point in time Morriss Rd. may need to be expanded, not now, not because money is being dangled in front of the Town's nose. Lets benefit the people that actually live in Flower Mound.
ReplyDeleteIn response to Joel Lindsey, Place 1 Council Member:
ReplyDeleteThis is 2009 and it is time to do things differently. How about keeping Morriss Road something that the residents are proud of. Currently, I AM proud to live off of Morriss Road because it signifies the coummunity feel of the town that I have chosen to live in. It is important to see pedestrians walking their dogs, families riding their bikes together, and kids WALKING to school. That is how it is supposed to be in a town named FLOWER MOUND.
If you allow it to become a six lane highway, yes, more drivers will use the road to DRIVE their kids to school faster, DRIVE to the park, DRIVE to a neighbor's house three blocks away.
It is time for the Flower Mound Town Council to think outside the box.