HomeMy WebLinkAboutIR 8737INFORMAL REPORT TO CITY COUNCIL MEMBERS
To the Mayor and Members of the City Council
Tit
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SUBJECT: Trinity Parkway Briefing Paper
1873
No. 8737
December 20, 2005
Page 1 of 1
We have received several requests for information regarding the alignment of the Trinity
Parkway thoroughfare depicted on our Master Thoroughfare Plan. The attached briefing
paper outlines the process that the City followed to adopt the alignment and the
remaining process (quite extensive) required to actually construct the roadway. The plan
has provided for public involvement of key stakeholders throughout the city. As you
know, this roadway is not currently funded and is not proposed to be funded in the near
future.
We are also scheduling a Pre - Council presentation in January to discuss this issue
further.
Charles R. Boswell
City Manager
Attachment
ISSUED BY THE CITY MANAGER
FORT WORTH, TEXAS
FORT WORTH
Trinity Parkway Alignment
Briefing Paper
Prepared by the Transportation and Public Works Department
and the Parks and Community Services Department
Background — Master Thoroughfare Plan (MTP)
The City of Fort Worth's Master Thoroughfare Plan (MTP) provides general alignments to facilitate the planning
of future roadways as development occurs. This planning document does not indicate when, or even if,
roadways would be constructed. The MTP does, however, reflect thoroughfare corridors that are deemed as
important mobility assets that should be preserved for potential construction as transportation demands
increase. As development occurs in and around the area of a thoroughfare depicted on the MTP, frequently the
thoroughfare's alignments are revised to combine the best transportation option with the best development
configuration.
Background — Trinity Parkway
The future arterial between West 7m and University Drive, called Trinity Parkway, has been on the City's Master
Thoroughfare Plan since 1990. It was shown as a four -lane divided arterial street from West 7th Street to
University Drive. This 1990 alignment depicted Trinity Parkway intersecting with West 7th Street just east of the
railroad tracks and then running south crossing the Fort Worth and Western Railroad (FWWR) diagonally
around Lancaster Avenue and then swinging west to connect to University Drive. Although the alignment has
been refined (the MTP only depicts general alignments) as information that is more detailed has been
developed, the general corridor (connecting a new arterial from West 7th to University Drive) has been in the
plan since 1990.
Al To evaluate mobility options surrounding a proposed development (South of 7`h) in the area, the City of Fort
Worth contracted with Kimley -Horn, Inc. in May 2003 to conduct a traffic study to verify the need for the
proposed Trinity Parkway roadway alignment. The study looked at both a build and no -build scenario to
determine the relative impacts on traffic volumes and delays on roadways in the study area. The Study
concluded that Trinity Parkway would have a positive impact on regional mobility and travel time and that it
would substantially reduce the amount of traffic traveling through Trinity Park on the existing park road and
adjacent residential streets. As a result, the Study recommended that Trinity Parkway remain on the City's
MTP.
As the South of 7th development progressed, the City contracted with Kimley -Horn, Inc. in July 2004 to conduct
an engineering study to determine a more specific alignment for Trinity Parkway. The goal of the study was to
identify a preferred alignment based upon an open, iterative public comment process. The study's conclusions
are summarized on the following page. At the end of this effort, the study identified a preferred alignment,
illustrated in the map below.
The purpose of the two studies was to verify the need for the future roadway and subsequently to identify the
preferred alignment to be depicted on the MTP. A number of questions have been asked as to what the
proposed bridge will look like, what types of noise mitigation and landscaping will be included, and the
construction schedule. This information will not be determined until the preliminary engineering phase of the
project. This project has not been identified by staff or the City Council as a priority project There are no funds
identified for the preliminary engineering, final design, or construction phases. No implementation schedule
exists given that there is not any funding identified for the roadway.
December 13, 2005 Page 1 of 5
Trinity Parkway Recommended Alignment
Possible extension of Trinity Parkway
Alignment A3 + Currie Street Extension
Recommended Alignment
Recommended Extensions
Trinity Park Boundary
Concerns have been raised concerning the extension of Trinity Parkway north of West 7t" Street connecting to
White Settlement Road. Such an extension was not a part of the two Trinity Parkway studies mentioned above
and was not contemplated until very recently. There have been recent discussions regarding this extension
from West 7th to White Settlement Road as a part of the Trinity Uptown traffic study that is currently underway.
However, this study is notpt complete. The City's adopted 2004 MTP does not show an alignment of Trinity
Parkway north of West 7 Street. Therefore, if this extension were deemed to be beneficial to the future
transportation mobility of this area, it would have to be added to the Master Thoroughfare Plan and would
therefore be processed through the open public process outlined for adding a corridor to the MTP. This process
includes public hearings for both the Plan Commission and City Council.
Remaining Process
If the Trinity Parkway project would 1) move up onto the prioritized project schedule, 2) funding was identified,
and the 3} City Council deemed this project as needed, the remaining process would be:
• Preliminary Engineering (identifies specific geometric design elements and on the ground location)
• Parkland Conversion Process (see below)
• Final Design
• Construction
December 13, 2005 Page 2 of 5
Harley Street Relocation Project
Concerns have been raised concerning the relocation of Harley Street and this project's relationship to the
future Trinity Parkway. The Harley Street Relocation project was included as a specific project in the City's last
bond program that was approved by the voters in February 2004 after an extensive public process. The goals
for this project are to provide critically needed additional parking within the Will Rogers Plan to reduce the
current severe parking deficit, realign Harley to improve vehicle traffic management and pedestrian access in
accordance with the Will Rogers District Plan, and to improve utility infrastructure. The plan is depicted below.
As can be seen, there are no plans, to realign Harley Street such that it cuts through the Botanic Gardens. Nor
are there plans to connect Harley directly to IH -30. The plan is, and always has been, to realign Harley about
1,500 feet south of its current intersection with Montgomery. No parkland is impacted by the realignment of
Harley Street and staff from the Parks and Community Services Department and the Botanic Garden were
involved with the City team that proposes this re- alignment of Harley Street.
Harley Street Re- alignment
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December 13, 2005 Page 3 of 5
• The study examined and evaluated a no build scenario and ten potential alignments-, Al, A2, A3, B, C1, C2,
• Each alignment was evaluated using the following criteria: Construction Cost, Vehicle Delay, Travel Tim4
Savings, Delay Costs, Impact to Trinity Park, drainage issues, and several other criteria.
• If Option A3 (recommended) was implemented, traffic volumes within Trinity Park would DECREASE from
2,400 vehicles per day in 2025 to 700 vehicles per day in 2025,
• Results of the traffic model show that roadways in the study area are projected to be at or near capacity by
regardless of alignment alternatives.
• Total delay and travel time increase as you move from Alignments A to F.
• Alignment A serves the largest number of vehicles with the lowest total delay and travel time,
• Of all option "X alignments, Alignment A3 provides the greatest mobility in the study area with minimal
impact to Trinity Park and surrounding facilities in terms of right-of-way needed for bridge structure and
impact on trees and other vegetation.
• Estimated construction cost for Alignment A3 is $6 million.
Trinity Parkway Alignment Study — Public Involvement
Trinity Parkway Stakeholder meetings were held throughout the planning process. Represented groups on
the stakeholders committee included: City of Fort Worth, S07 Developmre, ABCD, Area Property 0wners,
Streams and Valleys, Tarrant Regional Water District, Parks Board, Cultural District interests, ACME Brick,
Jagee Properties, Weber and Company, and the Historic Landmark Commission.
A Trinity Parkway Public Meeting was held on December 16, 2004, at the Fort Worth City Hall, Notices of
the meeting were mailed to property owners and neighborhood groups within the surrounding area,
Findings and recommendations from the Trinity Parkway Alignment Study were pnamanhad to the Parks
Board on January 18.2O05.
December 13.2O05 Page 4cf5
and 3 advertisements/notices must appear in the paper of record for the three weeks preceeding the
public hearing,
10) During this 30-day period, the detailed plans of the proposed conversion are available for review and
comment at the Headquarters of the Parks and Community Services Department,
11) In addition to the required state law notifications, it is the practice of the Parks and Community
Services Department to notify the adjoining neighborhoods and stakeholders of the proposed
conversion and future land use. This is done by both email and letter, Signs are also posted
indicating that a proposed change is about to be considered.
12) Once the notice and advertisements are scheduled, the item is scheduled for City Council
consideration in the form of a public hearing.
13) The City Council hears and reviews the staff report and staff answers any questions posed by the
council. As part of the staff report there is a summary of all public comment received to the date of
the public hearing.
14) During the public hearing, the Council can also hear any additional public comment.
15) The City Council renders a decision regarding the conversion and staff act or do not act depending
on the outcome of the Council's decision on the proposed conversion.
December 13, 2005 Page 5 of 5