TrafficandParkingStudyfor

PrestonCenter:
TheCheapVersion
JonAnderson

WhyWait?
JenniferGatestaskforceplanisyearsawayfrommeaningful
deliverables.However,finiteinfrastructuremakesoptionsequally
finite.Ivecapturedtheissuesandoptionsfortrafficandparking
surroundingPrestonCenter.Theareaplanmaybethicker,butthese
fewpageslikelycapture90%ofthatreportsfindings today.

Overviewofcurrenttrafficandparkingproblemareas
Overviewofthefundamentalunderpinningsoftheproblems
Thesolutionstotrafficandparkingproblems
Thereasonmeaningfulsolutionsaredoubtful
WhattheCityCouncilshoulddo

CurrentStateofPrestonCenter
AreaTrafficandParking

PrestonCenterArea:Traffic
Whatweknow:
Thetrafficsignalsareterriblytimed
andsynchronized.
TXDoT controlsNorthwestHwy(andisill
synchedto)UniversityParkcontrolledPreston
Rd

Increaseddensitywilllikelyonlyhave
impactontrafficduringpeaktimes.
NorthwestHwyandPrestonRdareovertaxed
tothepointthatdriverscutthrough
residentialstreetstomitigatedelays.
WestboundtrafficisbackeduptoPickwick
andbeyond
Eastboundtrafficisbackedupwestofthe
TollwaytopastPrestonRd.
Southboundtrafficisbackedupbythe
UniversityParktrafficsignalatBerkshire
(locatedonly295southofNorthwestHwy).
Itstooclosetoallowthemaximumnumber
ofcarstocleartheNorthwestHwyand
Prestonintersection.

PrestonCenterArea:Traffic (cont)
Whatweknow:
Pooralignmentbetweeneasttowest
roadwayscrossingPrestonRdmakes
PrestonCenterentry/exitdifficult.
Onthewestside,LutherandSherryarethe
straightestrunsinandoutofPrestonCenter
WesttoPrestonRoad.
Berkshireistheleastefficientroadtomove
trafficoutofPrestonCenterEastorWest.
FromPrestonCenterWest,theparkinggarageand
onewaystreetsmakeitaninefficientlabyrinth.
Theonlyreasontheresatrafficsignalisbecauseof
PrestonCenterEast/Westalighment.

Berkshireistheworstpossibleintersection
tohaveatrafficsignaltomovethemost
trafficthroughthePrestonRoadand

NorthwestHwyintersection.

PrestonCenterArea:Traffic
Whatweknow:
Becauseoftheclosenessofthe
Berkshiretrafficsignal,theJanuary
2016additionofasecondturninglane
fromwestboundNorthwestHwyto
southboundPrestonRd.willmake
congestionworse
Theresultwilltrytosendtwicethetrafficinto
thesamealreadybottleneckedspace.
Theonlyoutcomeofthesecondturninglane
willbetoaddspacetostackcarson
NorthwestHwywaitingtoturn.
Itwillnotincreasethenumberofcarsmaking
theturnduringeachsignalcycle.

PrestonCenterArea:Traffic (cont)
Whatweknow:
OfficehighrisessurroundingDouglascause
backupsduringpeaktimes.
Differingfrommorningrush,eveningrush
outofdowntownputsaddedpressureon
LomoAlto.DriversexitingtheTollwaymeet
trafficemptyingontoLomoAltotryingto
avoidDouglas.
Morningpeakcreatesbottleneckson
NorthwestHwyatDouglasandtheTollway
intersections.

Duringpeaks,NorthwestHwyisbackedup
fromtheTollwaytopastPickwick.
ThereasonsareDouglastrafficsignalistoo
closetotheTollwayandinflexibletraffic
signaltimingfortheamountofcars.

DriverseastoftheTollwayareimpactedby
thesameTollway/Douglastrafficsignal
bottleneck.

PrestonCenterArea:Parking
Whatweknow:
PrestonCenterEast hasampleparking.
Singleownercomplexprovidesacombination
ofundergroundandsurfaceparking.

PrestonCenterWest:
Antiquatedinfrastructureresultingfrom
fragmentedownershipunabletoagree.
800carcentralgarageisoutdated,poorly
maintainedandfrozenbylandlordindecision
Centralgarageisunderutilizedfor21hours
eachworkdayand24hoursoverweekends.
Todayonlymodestcapacityincreasesare
needed.

Streetparkingimpactedbyonewayroads
Currentandfuturehighriseshavelittle
impactonparkingbecausetheysupplytheir
ownparkinggarages

ConstrainedSpace;Controlled
Options

LimitedPhysicalSpaceLimitsOptions:Traffic
PrestonRoad,NorthwestHwyandTollwayexits/entrancesareafixed
size,physicallylimitingthenumberofcarscapableoftraversingthem.
Notrafficstudyorroutechangecanappreciablyalterthis;nodifferentthana
gallonjugholdingexactlyonegallonbeforeoverflowing.

Thereasonthereisneighborhoodcutthroughtrafficisbecausethese
mainarteriesarealreadyoverburdenedduringpeakhours.
Evenwithcapacityincreases,neighborhoodcutthroughisinevitable.(if
fewerpeoplecutthrough,otherswouldseetheemptyroadsandbeginto
usethem.)

SurgicalSolutionsVsWholesaleCapacityGrowth
Thegoodnewsisthatmoderntraffictheorystatesthatmassively
increasingcapacitieswillNOTresultinlessfullroadways;regardless
offuturedevelopment.
Forexample,ifNorthwestHwywereincreasedto10lanes,trafficwould
quicklyshiftandrefilltotheexistingcongestionlevels.(e.g.Ifyoubuildit,
theywillcome.)

Changemustbesubtleanddeliberate
Thegoalmustbetomaketheexistingroadsmoreefficientandtoadd
selectivecapacityincreases.
Theonlyachievablegoalbeingtomovetrafficto/fromtheimmediateareaas
efficientlyaspossibleunderstandingthereisnocureforpeakhour
congestion

ParkingIsntaHugeProblem;ButtheParking
GarageIs
Beingoverburdenedonlyduringweekdaylunchhours,thecurrent
centralgarageonlyneedsminorcapacityincreasestoservicetodays
needs.
However,doublingcapacitywouldpositionitforfutureneedsandenablethe
garagetohelpwithtrafficflow

BUT
Thecurrentownershipandparkingrightsarrangementisabuiltin
stalematetoimprovement
Theresultingeyesoreanddisagreementholdsbackreinvestmentand
commerceinthearea.

TheOptions:Traffic

MaintainingtheStatusQuoasDevelopmentis
addedtoPrestonCenterArea
PrestonCentercongestionwillneverbeeliminatedduringpeak
times,butchangescanincreasetheamountoftrafficsupported
ThegoalmustbetotreatPrestonCenterasadestinationandONLY
movetrafficin orout,notthroughit.
Itiscounterproductivetocreatecutthroughs toandfromotherdestinations
E.g.WeretheCitytowidenNorthwestHighwayfromtheTollwaytoCentral,itwould
attracttrafficfromelsewheremakingNorthwestHighwayandPrestonCentertrafficfar
worsethancurrentcongestion.

TheSolution:NorthwestHighway
WidenNorthwestHwybetweenPickwickandtheTollwaytowidenand
lengthenallturninglanesintersectingPreston,PrestonCenter,Douglas
andtheTollway.
Constructinghighercapacityturninglanesreducestheincursionofcarsinto
thethroughlanestraversingtheTollwayandPrestonRd.(essentiallygiving
turningtrafficalongerrunway)
Buttrafficneedssomewheretogo,thereforeeliminatingtheBerkshire/PrestonRdtraffic
signalandthesynchronization/programmingofNorthwestHwy/Douglassignalarecritical.

InstallsmarttrafficsignalatDouglastoensurebestmovement
betweentheTollwayandPrestonRoad

TheSolution:PrestonRoad
Fourtrafficsignalsexistbetween
NorthwestHwyandCentenaryAve.
(2/10th ofamile)
Bottleneck

RemovetrafficsignalatBerkshire
At295southofNorthwestHwy(17carsperlane),
thereisntenoughspacetocleartheNorthwest
HwyandPrestonRd.intersectionatpeakhours.

AddsignalatWentwoodDr.andsynch
withexistingSherryLanesignal
Threetimesasmanycarscouldbeaccommodated
GivessignaledentranceandexitforPreston
CenterEast

RemovalsignalatCentenaryAve

TheSolution:PrestonRoad(cont)
Continue6lanePrestonRdbetween
NorthwestHwyandSherryLane
Thisminorchangewillshiftthezipperof
3to2laneswellsouthofNorthwestHwy.
Again,dependentontheremovalofthe
PrestonRd.andBerkshiretrafficsignal.

WidenSherryLanetooffsettraffic
movementfromeliminationof
Berkshiretrafficsignal.

TheSolution:TollwayAccess
BetterSouthboundTollwayAccess
ExtendDouglasAvesfourlanestoColgateAve.
AddabridgecrossingTollwayconnectingColgateto
EasternAve.toshuttletraffictothesouthbound
TollwayentranceatEastern/LoversLane.

BetterNorthboundTollwayAccess
WidenLomoAltofromLoversLanetoNorthwestHwy
toshuttlenorthboundtraffictoPrestonCenter.

TheSolutionforParking
DemolishexistingPrestonCenterWestgarageandbuilda4level
undergroundlottoppedbyaparklikeSanFranciscosUnionSquare.
TheCityofDallasrequiresnoagreementorspecialzoning.Parkingcapacityis
doubledwithanicetownsquaregreenspace
Doublingparkingcapacitywillenablethecitytoeliminatesomestreet
parking,convertonewayroadstotwowayandincreaseroadwayefficiency.
Installingelevatorsandotherhandicapaccessibletechnologieswillmakethe
garagemoreusable
Theendresultisthatamarginallymaintainedeyesoreistransformedand
trafficmovesmoreefficiently
Quickerrandandtogorestaurantpickupsareaccommodatedbymetered
streetparkingwith30minutelimits

TheSolution:PrestonCenter:TwoLaneRoads
EliminateOneWayRoadsatPreston
CenterWest
Removestreetparkingononeway
sectionsofWestchase Dr.,LutherLane,
BerkshireLane,KateSt.
Increasestrafficmobilityandreduces
blockcircling

AcquirepropertyatKateSt.andLutherto
straightenKateSt.
Moreefficientshuttlingoftrafficaway
fromBerkshireandtowardsSherryLane

SolutionSummary
PrestonRoad
RemovetrafficsignalsatBerkshireLaneandCentenaryDr
Blockleftturnsto/fromBerkshireLaneandPreston

AddtrafficsignalWentwood Drive
WidenPrestonRoadto6lanesfromNorthwestHwytoSherryLane

NorthwestHighway
WidenfromPickwicktoTollway
Increasecapacityoftollwayentrance/exitandPrestonRd.turninglanes
InstallstateoftheartsmarttrafficsignalatDouglasAve.

SolutionSummary
DouglasAvenue
Extend4lanesfromNorthwestHwytoColgateAve.

ColgateAvenue
AddoverpassatTollwayconnectingtoEastern(connectingtoTollwaysouth)

PrestonCenterWest
Demolishandrebuild4storyundergroundparkinggaragewithstreetlevel
townsquaregreenspace
AcquirepropertyatKateSt.andLutherLanetostraightenKateSt.
Eliminatestreetparkingtoconvertonewayroadstotwoway

TheOptions:Development

MixedResidentialandCommercialDevelopmentis
theBestOption
Residentialandcommercialhaveslightlydifferenttrafficpatterns
Ifaworkdayisfrom8:30amto5:00pm,aworkerwillleavehomebetween7:30
8:00amandarrivehomebetween5:306:00pm.
Residentialdevelopmentwillgeneratethebiggestwaveofareaexitsinthemorningbefore
mostareaworkersarriveandintheeveningarriveaftermostworkershaveleft
Commercialdevelopmentwillseethebiggestwaveofworkersarrivingaftercommuting
residentshaveleftinthemorningandleavebeforeresidentsreturnhomeintheevening

Mixedusedevelopmentencouragesworkerstoliveclosetowork
Residentialdevelopmentcoupledwithshoppingreducesoveralltrips
Trafficwise,theleasttaxingdevelopmentsminimizepeakhourcommuting
Residential:seniorcare,retirementliving,unitstargetingparttimeresidents,
live/workspaces

LunchHourCongestion
MuchhasbeenmadeofweekdaylunchhourcongestionatPreston
CenterWest(thefewhoursparkingiscurrentlyaproblem)
Addeddevelopmentwillhavelittleeffect
Residentialdevelopmentwillnotaddtocongestion(theyphysicallywontbe
inthearea)
Commercialdevelopmentwillhaveonlymildeffects
Workersatnewcommercialdevelopmentswillwalkfromtheirownparkingstructures.
Increaseswillonlycomefromthosedinersmeetingintheareaandnotparkingina
hostsofficebuildingparking.

Iftheparkingstructureisexpandedassuggested,parkingwillcease
tobeaproblematall

But

Unfortunately
Acquiringlandviaeminentdomainrequiresmoneyandwill
However,someownerslikeMarkCubanmaydonatelandfromtheirholdingsinexchangefora
fairhearingoftheirplans.

WorkonDouglasandPrestonRoadrequirescooperationfromUniversityPark
AddingaTollwayoverpassatColgaterequiresthewill,themoneyandNTTA
InstallingsmarttrafficsignalsalongNorthwestHwyrequiresmoney(andlikelya
holisticDallasplan)

IdonotbelievetheCityofDallashasthewillnorthebudgettoenactanyof
thesesolutions.IwonderwhythePrestonCenterTaskForceareaplan(which
willlikelylookverysimilartothesefewpages)isbeingallowedtostall
decisionstodaysurroundingPrestonCenterwhenitshighlyunlikelythereport
willbeactedupon.

TheCityCouncilsRealisticOptions
Stopstallingdevelopment
Createanindependent,nonpoliticaltaskforcetoholdopen
discussionsanddebates
Worktobarterwithdevelopersandcurrentlandownersfund
incrementalimprovements
Thiswillrequirebreakingdownoptionsintomanageablechunkssortedby
overallareaimpact
Workwithdeveloperstofundprojectsinexchangeforsupport
Encouragecurrentlandowners,notlookingtoredeveloptheirproperties,to
stillcontribute.Moredevelopment,morecustomersfortheirbusinesses.

Summary
Theissuesareclear
Thesolutionsareclearandmorefinitethanmanybelieve
Developerfundingistheonlyfinanciallyrealisticoptionforchange
TheCityCouncilskeyrolesare
Findadiplomaticormonetaryoptiontobreaktheparkinggaragecartelin
PrestonCenterWest orjustbuildtheundergroundparkingandparkconcept
Providepoliticalwilltoacquirepropertiesnecessarytoplan
WorkwithUniversityParktoalieveaproblemthatequallyeffectstheir
residentsandbusinesses.