You have two more chances to add your input to the redesign of Tyler and Polk Streets in North Oak Cliff. They’ve been a couplet of one-way streets for decades and are under consideration for a conversion back to two-way. Tyler-Polk isn’t alone in this conversation either — next up, McKinney and Cole.
Even if you just work or play in North Oak Cliff you can submit input. Speakers at the last meeting tended to qualify their opinions with their address and tenure in the neighborhood, but anyone can submit a comment card, or even easier, shoot an email to Councilman Scott Griggs: scott.griggs@dallascityhall.com.
Here’s What You Should Know
“The [newly converted two-way streets will] function as part of a safer, more comprehensible, less intimidating network, one that promotes multiple forms of transportation and better serves economic development.” – Southbend, Indiana discussing a similar road conversion project
The primary objectives:
- enhanced economic development opportunities for existing businesses and potential future development along these roads
- increasing safety of other modes of transportation, especially biking and walking, but also bus transit
- improve pedestrian experience (accomplishing the other two objectives) by slowing car speeds
Remember the first ever Better Block at Tyler & 7th, April 2010? That’s basically the inspiration here — more street life, which is better for business. Only the sidewalk widths aren’t changing and we won’t be adding outdoor cafe seating.
Overview
As city staff put it, we have 3 options:
- A is where the cyclists are aligning, and is also the staff recommendation.
- B keeps the traffic moving at about the same rate, with no impediments like bike lane.
- C do nothing. Don’t fix it if it ain’t broke.
If your vote is C, I’m guessing you understand the rationale of a engineer “improving street safety” (especially 1:45sec into it.)
In summary
Essentially:
Tyler Street — presently three lanes northbound, plus one parking lane (with unenforced peak hour restrictions), would become two lanes, two way, plus two parking lanes (with unenforced peak hour restrictions)
Polk Street — presently three lanes southbound, would become either two lanes, plus two bike lanes, plus one parking lane (with unenforced peak hour restrictions), or four lanes, plus one parking lane (with unenforced peak hour restrictions).
You can preview the rest of the presentation before the upcoming meetings to get the full details and data.
Meetings
Tuesday, June 21, 2016, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Cliff Temple Baptist Church (In the main sanctuary via the corner of Tenth and Zang)
125 Sunset Avenue
Dallas, TX 75208
Tuesday, July 12, 2016, 6 to 7:30 p.m.
Elmwood, El Buen Samaritano United Methodist Church, in the Fellowship Hall
1315 Berkley Avenue
Dallas, TX 75224
“As another wise man in the neighborhood once said, it is prioritizing people over pavement and community over cars.” – Rob Shearer
A Roundabout in Dallas
Yes, the rumor mill’s right this time – there IS a roundabout planned at the north juncture.
Just so we’re all on the same page here, Mythbusters put the 4-way stop & the roundabout to the test and roundabouts are actually more efficient. In fact, Dallas lags Fort Worth again in number of neighborhood roundabouts — and their installation immediately improved their property values along Elizabeth Boulevard.
Complete Streets
Both roundabouts and one-way to two-way conversions are part of a larger urban design trend for “complete” multimodal streets. In fact, Dallas just approved its Complete Streets manual this January 2016. Staff are busily reviewing all old plans and drawings and revising them according to the new standards. No doubt this project is in line with the new priorities for more livable, community-centered streets.
More Families in North Oak Cliff
As neighbor Rob Shearer puts it, Oak Cliff is a different sort of neighborhood because of the people, and the opportunities to hang out together.
“Sure we’ve got the only hills in the city and a beautiful canopy of trees that compliment great streets running through great neighborhoods. But if you took out the people and the times we gather together on a warm June night for the Symphony at Kidd Springs Park, or the ‘I Bike Rosemont’ ride that ends with root beer floats in front of Eno’s, or our Mardi Gras parade, or Bastille Day celebration or drinks on your porch with neighbors or any of the other thousand reasons we’ve come up with to justify us spending time with each other… well I don’t think Oak Cliff would have the same magnetic draw that it has today.” – Rob Shearer
The biggest Economic Development benefit from this project is expected to be calmer traffic, contributing to a more pedestrian-friendly environment that is conducive to retail sales. The little retail storefronts are right up on the road along Tyler. A safer environment is going to make this little corner of our neighborhood a lot more welcoming to our neighbors who want to patronize these businesses. And a lot nicer for hanging out and meeting neighbors.
The street may impede the swift flow of cars a little, especially compared to today, but slowing the traffic is the point. The redesign begins to create a more livable neighborhood here — where neighbors might be able to find more reasons to hang out and make our lives just a little more pleasant when we’re out of our cars.
Of course, this project alone won’t change our car culture all at once, like one stretch of one-mile-long bike lane won’t get people to start biking, but it’s the first step of a long race.
