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What
improvements are going to be made to Colleyville Blvd.?
The
project is best described as the reconstruction of S.H. 26 from the existing
4-lane highway (with continuous two-way left turn lane) to a 6-lane, divided
boulevard with channelized turn lanes at major intersections. The new roadway will have
curb and gutter and an underground storm drainage system in lieu of open
ditches, and a raised landscaped median in lieu of a center two-way turn
lane.
What are
the project limits?
This project
begins approximately 450 feet south of Cheek-Sparker Road (just south of the
Greenbriar Lane intersection) and ends approximately 450 feet north of the
Pool Road/Brumlow Avenue intersection.
There are also two other improvement projects currently being designed
for S.H. 26. One of these extends
from just south of Cheek-Sparger Road to I.H. 820 through the cities of Hurst
and North Richland Hills, and the other extends from just north of Pool Road
to S.H. 114, through the City of Grapevine.
These
last two projects are being designed by other consultants.
What is
the current project schedule?
Begin
Right-of-Way Acquisition
Summer 2005
Complete Final Plans
Summer 2005
Begin Construction
Estimated Summer 2010
Finish Construction
Estimated Fall 2012
When
will construction begin?
Who is
funding the project?
The
majority of the funding is federal.
However, portions of the funding are also being provided by the Texas
Department of Transportation, the City of Colleyville and Tarrant County. The estimated construction cost is $22
million.
What
will the impact of this project be to Colleyville residents and business
owners?
The
proposed improvement of S.H. 26 will reduce traffic congestion by allowing for
more efficient and effective movement of traffic. The proposed improvements will also
provide a safer roadway facility through improved access management along the
entire roadway and channelized turn lanes at intersections. Overall, the project will enhance the
aesthetics of S.H. 26 through the City of Colleyville and improve mobility
between I.H. 820 and S.H. 114.
If
access to my property is needed by the project team to verify existing
improvements, how will I be notified?
Generally,
advance notification will be provided via a written notice attached to your door or a
letter sent to your residence or place of business, requesting permission to
access your property. Sometimes the
need arises quickly and limits the opportunity for advance notification. In those cases, an attempt will be made
to make personal contact with you.
Will
additional right-of-way be needed for this project?
Yes,
additional right-of-way will be needed from most properties, but not necessarily
all. After completion and approval of the
Schematic Design, a more definitive determination will be made about the
right-of-way needs for the project.
When
will right-of-way acquisition begin for this project?
At this
time, we anticipate that right-of-way acquisition will begin by the fall of 2003. However, acquisition cannot begin until
after completion of the Environmental Assessment and a Public
Hearing.
If it’s
determined that TxDOT will need a portion of my land for right-of-way or
easement, how will I be compensated?
First,
each affected property will be notified of the State’s interest in acquiring the
necessary right-of-way and will be given information about basic protection
provided to the owners by law.
Next, an appraisal of your property will be made to determine just
compensation. (“Just Compensation” includes the market value of any land
actually acquired, plus compensation for any damages caused to the remaining
property as a result of the purchase.
Compensation for moving “personal property” such as signs, sprinkler
systems, etc., is paid separately as a “relocation” expense). Then, an offer will be made based upon
the appraiser’s report. Although
property owners are entitled to just compensation for any additional right-of-way needed,
they may choose to donate right-of-way or accept a reduced consideration.
Will
access to my property/business be changed?
Driveways
and in some cases public streets may be relocated or realigned to provide better
cross traffic at median openings.
In other situations, driveways and access to properties may be combined
to minimize the total number of driveways onto S.H. 26. Currently there are some areas where
driveway access to property is somewhat unlimited and/or undefined. There are also areas where head-in and
off-street parking is occurring within the highway right-of-way. With the addition of curb and gutter,
defined driveway access will be provided that may be narrower or different than
the prior uncurbed section. These
situations will be discussed individually with affected property and business
owners in order to develop an appropriate means of ingress-egress for their
properties.
Will the
project include landscaping and other aesthetic enhancements?
Yes,
some measure of landscaping and streetscape enhancements will be included in the
project, particularly at key intersections.
Is the
project going to affect any historic or archaeological sites in
Colleyville?
A significant
part of the early development of this project will be the preparation of an
Environmental Assessment (EA). This assessment will evaluate potential
impacts to any archaeological and historical sites that are identified within
the project limits.
Will
noise barriers be constructed along S.H. 26?
As part
of the Environmental Assessment, the need for and effect of noise barriers will
be evaluated. Due to the large
amount of commercial development along S.H. 26, which absorbs most of the
roadway noise, noise barriers are not anticipated at this
time.
As
an interested citizen, how will I be kept informed about this project?
Community
involvement plays an important role in this kind of project. Meetings will be
held to keep landowners and other interested parties informed of project
activities and afford citizens an opportunity to have input about the project.
Citizens are encouraged to participate in these meetings. The project team will also be keeping
this web-page updated with new information about the project (including notices
about upcoming meetings), placing information in the City of Colleyville’s
newsletter, running Public Service Announcements on the cable channel,
publishing articles in the area newspapers and sending out informational flyers
to those on our mailing list.
Why
is TxDOT widening State Highway 26?
State
Highway 26 is one of the area’s major transportation corridors. TxDOT’s primary
goal is to improve the flow of traffic for thousands of commuters and local
residents. Today, approximately
28,000 vehicles per day (v.p.d.) travel along S.H. 26 and that number is
projected to increase to 34,500 v.p.d. by the year 2005; 51,000 v.p.d. by the
year 2025; and 57,000 v.p.d. by the year 2035. Without the proposed improvements
traffic congestion will continue to worsen, causing long delays for commuters,
inconvenience to local residents and businesses, as well as air quality issues related to increased automobile
emissions.
How
was the public involved in the decision to widen S.H. 26?
The
elected representatives of the Citizens of Colleyville chose to submit this
project for consideration and approval to the Regional Transportation Council
(RTC) of the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG), which is
comprised primarily of elected officials from across a 16-county metropolitan
region of North Central Texas. The
RTC, along with the Executive Board of the NCTCOG, together serve as the
Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO) for the Dallas-Fort Worth metropolitan
area in regards to transportation issues and funding of projects. Resolutions of support for this project
were also passed by the cities of Colleyville, Hurst and
Grapevine.
Why
is S.H. 26 proposed to have a raised median?
Roadway
safety is the primary reason S.H. 26 will be constructed with a raised
median. The high number of vehicles
traveling the highway makes it unsafe for vehicles trying to turn onto or off
S.H. 26 at uncontrolled locations.
The median will allow proper traffic control measures to be instituted
making turning movements safer.
If the
roadway is being widened, what will happen to the parking in front of my
property or business?
The
roadway widening may affect parking areas associated with some businesses. In most of those cases, alternatives for
addressing any impacts to parking will be discussed with the business and / or
property owner during the right-of-way appraisal process.
The design team is committed to communicating with affected property
owners and finding creative solutions, wherever possible, to minimize impacts to
adjoining businesses.
Will
there be median openings to allow access to all of the businesses along S.H.
26?
There
will be median openings along S.H. 26.
Most of the intersecting public roads will be accommodated with median
openings and, in some cases, fully signalized intersections. Other locations where median openings
may be constructed are at large mixed-use developments or major shopping
centers.
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