TRANSPORTATION UPDATES
New study will look at whether North Texas has too much parking
BY ERICK PIRAYESH
Osborn presented data at the meeting, stating there could be 10 million cars in DFW by 2045 based on population growth estimates. She said the data shows there could be around 775 miles of combined land dedicated to parking by that time. “It’s expensive to build parking, especially parking garages,” Osborn said. “Parking also takes away land in valuable areas that could be used for other purposes.” When collecting data on a parking site, the council states it will look at the total number of parking spaces, when peak use times are, nearby building occupancy numbers, special characteristics of each site, walk- ability of the area and nearby transit opportunities. Those looking to volunteer a property or learn more can visit www.nctcog.org/parking.
The North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Regional Transpor- tation Council is conducting a study to determine whether the Dallas-Fort Worth area has too much parking. The council is putting together a regional parking database to help inform area o cials on ways to develop more e cient parking. Using a 2018 study, the council estimates potentially 40% of the region’s parking spaces are typically unused. The council is an independent pol- icy board made up of o cials from across the metroplex that oversee the region’s transportation planning pro- cess. Its website states the process city planners use for determining parking needs often lacks informa- tion and can overestimate demand, leading to excess parking. During the council’s March 14 meeting, sta members said the council will be asking for property managers and owners from across DFW to volunteer their properties for multiday parking studies. The council’s website states these studies will identify local demand, reduce the chance of unused parking and inform more accurate parking standards. The study will not include single-family housing developments or neighborhoods, the website states. “What we’ll do with this [data] is try to inform parking policy by making sure our database is made up of a variety of [parking spaces] that represent di erent development types,” said Catherine Osborn, trans- portation planner with the council, during its March 14 meeting.
Work on the reconstruction of McKinney Street is planned to begin this summer.
JACKSON KING COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
McKinney Street reconstruction project set to start this summer
NEED FOR PARKING? As of 2020, the North Central Texas Council of Governments’ Regional Transportation Council estimates there are about 6.5 million vehicles in North Texas. The council forecasts the number of cars in North Texas to increase signi cantly by 2045.
BY JACKSON KING
according to city o cials. The budget is expected to be split between the 2015 bond, Dallas County and the 2021 bond. The 2015 bond will devote nearly $846,000 through savings from the Main renovation project. Dallas County is expected to contribute $680,000, and $300,000 will come from the 2021 bond. City o cials said the McKinney renovation project was previously budgeted at $1.82 million in the 2021 bond program. Construction on the project is scheduled to start in June, with trees to be planted at the site during the fall. The city is expected to complete construction near the end of 2023.
The city of Richardson plans to begin reconstruction work for McKinney Street near Main Street this summer. This road improvement project was originally included as part of the Main Street reconstruction project that began in 2019 and was completed by mid-2021. The north section of McKinney Street and the south side of Main Street were removed from the project to get within budget and were incorporated into the 2021 bond program. Plans for the road improvement project were presented to Richard- son City Council during its April 18 meeting. The scope of work for the McK- inney reconstruction project is expected to mirror the Main project, repaving the street and replacing utilities while also providing new landscaping and trees, o cials said. Dallas County will also help fund the project for pedestrian improvements along the street. The total construction project is estimated to cost nearly $1.8 million,
10 MILLION cars in North Texas 775 MILES of land dedicated to parking
SOURCE: NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS COMMUNITY IMPACT NEWSPAPER
ONGOING PROJECT
Gas utility repairs on Spring Valley Road The right lane of both eastbound and west- bound East Spring Valley Road between Greenville Avenue and Abrams Road may be closed to tra c from 9 a.m.-3:30 p.m. for Atmos gas utility repairs. The work is expected to be complete by late May. Timeline: end of May Cost: N/A Funding Source: N/A
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ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE WAS UPDATED AS OF MAY 13. NEWS OR QUESTIONS ABOUT THESE OR OTHER LOCAL TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS? EMAIL US AT RICNEWS COMMUNITYIMPACT.COM.
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RICHARDSON EDITION • MAY 2022
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