Michael Ryan has asked for assistance in determining a headcount for the attendance of the Town Council Meeting on April 6th. This way he can set up the hall and possibly arrange for the overflow room with closed circuit TV. We do not want to have anyone left out this time.
Instead of emailing RSVPs, we can do it right here on the blog.
On the bottom of this post you will see 3 boxes next to the word reactions. If you plan on attending, place a check in the box labeled COOL.
Our presence is the key to our success. I hope to see many of you even in the overflow room.
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First of all let me say that the meeting with the town this week went well and we got some more insight about the planned expansion, how it is financed and how far along it is. This is my take on some of the information we received.
ReplyDeleteThe financial is a bit more involved that what we first envisioned, but I will try to sum it up. 9.7 million will come from SH121, 5.5 million from the Denton County bond and 4.4 million from the Developer of the River Walk. There are options to re-apply with SH121 for overrun cost associated with the project. The plan is to widen the road with SH121 funds financing about 80% of the project. Money from SH121 is part of a larger package of more than 20-25 million which will funds several projects including widening of Spanks, Garden Ridge etc. The SH121 funds must be spent in 10 years or the town will have to return the funds including any interest earned. Funds coming from any Developer, including the River Walk project are not necessarily slated for the widening of Morriss/Gerault and can be used by the city for any improvement project. It is tied to building permits that developers obtain. Also known as impact fees. Funds from Denton County and the Developer are not immediately available, so to start the project the town needs the funds from SH121. The Town is ready to start as soon as the agreement to accept the funds has been signed. If and when the funds from the developer come thru is everyone’s guess.
The bottom line is that funds will be available and this, to date, non-transparent expansion project will proceed regardless of the immediate need. Why are we not waiting to find out how the completion of FM2499 will affect the flow of traffic? Why don’t we wait and see if and when the River Walk project will be done? If the River Walk becomes a success and there is a need to expand Morriss Road/Gerault, then do it responsibly and be more transparent about the process. Why the rush?
Traffic studies were done by Lee Engineering who was hired by the Town of Flower Mound. Funds to complete the study were a condition if development of the River Walk project. We asked if the study which was done early in 2008 took into consideration that construction was being performed on a large portion of FM2499 at that time. We also asked if the study considered what effect an overpass at Gerault/FM2499 would have on this study. We were told that it was looked at but was not considered to be a factor.
If you read the answers that the Town of Flower Mound posted on their web site you will discover that there were very few concrete answers. Most of them included wording like planned, anticipated, projected, expect etc. We know it is early in the process, but we would have liked a bit more firm answers. Due to this there is not much point of speculating on how the planning will proceed, until the designer has come up with more concrete plans. There will be a meeting in August or September where preliminary designs will be provided to the Town Council.
One issue that we did get a firm answer on was the speed limit. As stated on the Town’s website they do not anticipate that the permanent speed limit will change as a result of the expansion. They also state that they have to comply with state law. So our question was: If a study was done 3-5 years after the expansion was complete and the finding showed that traffic flowed at 50mph. Would the Town be obligated to raise the speed limit? The answer was YES.
Regardless if you are for or against sound barriers, there are no plans for them and the Town does not believe they are warranted. Our Town is not obligated to provide them and such have not budgeted for them.
As Kim mentioned this meeting was with our Town Manager Harland Jefferson, Assistant Town Manager Kent Collins and Director of Community Affairs Michael Ryan. It was not a meeting to debate issues which will have to bring to the attention of the Town Council. It is ultimately our Town Council that will make decisions and they are the ones we will have to debate. We will stay engaged with the Town during the Design Phase so we can provide more public input prior to it being finalized and then asked our opinion.
"If a study was done 3-5 years after the expansion was complete and the finding showed that traffic flowed at 50mph. Would the Town be obligated to raise the speed limit? The answer was YES."
ReplyDeleteOkay if the posted speed limit is 40mph and they measure an average of 50mph because that many people disobeyed the law we have to raise the speed limit? So how on earth was Dallas and Ft Worth able to lower speed limits on 35E/W?
That is the most absurd reasoning I have ever heard for setting speed limits on roads. 3040 was 55mph as a 2 lane road and the city lowered it to 45, but lewisville did the same and raised it to 50 to match the part that was left at 50 all this time.
Why write tickets to speeders then sheesh.
The part about the sound wall is pure arrogance. Were not required to provide them so we do not plan for them. So why are homes along 2499 getting sound walls? They were not needed as a 4 lane road, but now are needed as a 6 lane road. How would Morriss be any different if they widened it?
Corey. I don't know if any traffic studies were done on FM3040, 35E/W etc. What we did find out is that our Town has to comply with state laws.
ReplyDeleteWith regards to the sound barriers there is a ifference between state roads and city roads. FM2499 is a state road and different rules apply. Morriss is a city/town road and they can pretty much do what they feel like. With that said we do not have to accept the outcome. We are asking for more studies to be done before the Town of Flower Mound jumpstart anothr project. Prove that there is a need. If/and when that time comes do it in a responsible manner with the proper consideration for students going to school and residents living along Morriss Road.