Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum

The link is to a list of new/ongoing street projects in the city, divided up by council district. This is the first of several quarterly releases of street project data during the city's 2020 fiscal year.

https://drive.google.com/file/d/17dm0id ... sp=sharing

I don't think my picture has anything to do with this project, but I wasn't really sure where else to put this. This picture was taken at the intersectoin of Turtle Creek Blvd/Bowen and it looks like they are finally adding sidewalks here!

Definitely a pretty minor project that probably won't affect too many people, but I'm pretty happy that this is being added.

Anyone know whats up with the trail extension that's being built below the powerline corridor immediately south of Lovers on Matilda? (Next to the central market.)

I live in a low income area by Trinity Groves. We moved last year and noticed that a large part of the area does not have sidewalks. I contacted the city asking what I can do to get sidewalks. There are kids that are walking to school as well as a lot of people in the area walk to the bus stations. They said if I can get 2/3rd of the people to agree then we can get a sidewalk installed.

After the city taking weeks to get back with me and then nitpicking each submission. For example, someone who lives on a house with two lots put 4132 and 4131. I was told I needed to gather a new petition with only the house that will get the side walk. Each time I would send it in and it would take two months to hear back.

Now, I finally have everything exactly has they want and they have told me it will go on a bond list for 2023. Our neighborhood that has no sidewalk will not get a sidewalk until 2023!

Does anyone know of anything I can do? The city is not helping.

Sburres wrote:Now, I finally have everything exactly has they want and they have told me it will go on a bond list for 2023. Our neighborhood that has no sidewalk will not get a sidewalk until 2023!

You are overly optimistic. Being on the bond list is just the first hurdle. Consider it a wish list. The city council still has to vote to include it in the bond package. That's far from a given. Assuming that happens and the voters approve it, it's usually several years more before projects actually break ground. There are still lots of approved bond projects from over 10 years ago that haven't started. Less than a quarter of the projects from the 2017 bond election have begun.

So there is nothing I can do? It seems ridiculous to live on a street with a bus stop and a school and no sidewalk. There has to be something I can do.

Sburres wrote:So there is nothing I can do? It seems ridiculous to live on a street with a bus stop and a school and no sidewalk. There has to be something I can do.

Welcome to Dallas, where the powers that be overlook small but important public works in favor of wasteful "signature" projects. On top of that, the most powerful "opposition" to the status quo is a bunch of activists who are only interested in getting their own wasteful signature projects built (D2, tearing out 345, etc)

^ Bingo.

Go talk to your local council member, identify your location with him or her and see if they can get it moved up the priority list. The priority lists are generally based on age/location not necessarily 'need' because Dallas is a really big city area-wise. Bring things like pictures of kids walking in the street.

The_Overdog wrote:Go talk to your local council member, identify your location with him or her and see if they can get it moved up the priority list. The priority lists are generally based on age/location not necessarily 'need' because Dallas is a really big city area-wise. Bring things like pictures of kids walking in the street.

This is definitely the next step in the process and it will go a long way to show what you have already done by going through the steps with the city staff (they have to stick with very specific protocol and can only add to next in line and not move to the top) the CC member has the ability to try and streamline certain projects if there is a need and a priority. Projects like this are like putting an expanded version of where's waldo on the side of the BoA building and saying you get 2 minutes a day to try and find him. Yea, if he's on your window it's easy to see but for someone on the ground, they will never find it unless it's pointed out with binoculars and a spotlight.

Tried this. omar narvaez is the cc member. Sent 3 emails and have not heard anything back.

Tried this. omar narvaez is the cc member. Sent 3 emails and have not heard anything back.

You have to catch them in person. Yeah, it sucks.