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TRANSCRIPT
October 12, 2016
CONVERSION OF TWO-WAY FRONTAGE ROADS TO ONE-WAYIH 30 in Texarkana
October 12, 2016
October 12, 2016
Introduction Video
October 12, 2016
Texarkana
Two cities
Two states
One MPO
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Texarkana
IH 30
October 12, 2016
U.S. Post Office and Court House
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IH 30 Corridor
IH 30 constructed in 1960s in the rural area
− Two-way frontage roads provided access
City growth & development moved north
toward IH 30
− Two-way frontage roads were extended
− Gaps remained in frontage road system
− IH 30 main lanes used for both local and
regional traffic
− Strain on transportation network
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Economic Growth along IH 30 Corridor
October 12, 2016
Economic Growth along IH 30 Corridor
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Project initiated in Summer 2000, with intent to improve IH 30 interchanges at State Line Ave. and US 59
Project grew as a result of public input and overall traffic needs identified as a result of various studies and improvements listed in the Metropolitan Transportation Plan
Project Overview
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IH 30 @ State Line Ave. - Cloverleaf
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IH 30 @ US 59 Interchange - Trumpet
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Efforts to Develop Solution
Texarkana MPO initiated a comprehensive study for the frontage road system
Studies and Reports
− 2000: IH30 Frontage Road Conversion, Texarkana, USA; Texarkana MPO
− 2001: Texarkana Area Frontage Road Study; Texarkana MPO
− 2001: IH 30 Reconstruction Project, City of Texarkana; TxDOT
− 2002: IH 30 Texarkana Corridor Construction Staging Report; TxDOT
− 2002: IH 30/State Line Ave Cloverleaf Interchange LOS Analysis; TxDOT
− 2002: Interstate 30 Interchange Analysis; Texarkana, Arkansas; AHTD
− 2003: US 59/IH 30 Configuration Recommendations; TxDOT
Advance Planning/Schematics
− Several versions/alternatives
− Three Public Meetings
Interstate Access Justification Report
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Frontage Road Warrant Study
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Studies and Reports
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IH 30 Frontage Road Reconstruction Project
Begin Project:
FM 989 in TX
End Project:
Jefferson Ave
in AR
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Project Goals
Improve traffic operations at intersections
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Project Goals
Reduce the opportunity for accidents
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Project Goals
Safer design to handle increasing traffic loads
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Project Goals
Separate local and regional traffic
Improve mobility for through traffic
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Public Involvement Opportunities
Public Participation Plan
Texarkana MPO Meetings
− Presentations to Policy Board, Technical
Committee and Citizens Advisory Committee
Public Meetings
− Three Open House Meetings
News articles
− Meeting coverage
− Editorials
Meetings with Affected Property Owners (MAPOs)
− Property Owners
− Business Owners
Opportunity for a Public Hearing
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Public Meeting #1: 2001
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Public Meeting #2: 2003
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Public Meeting #3: 2005
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Presentations to the Texarkana MPO
Kept local
leaders
informed
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Business Owners’ Concerns
Customer Service
Product Quality
Product Price
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News Articles
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Editorials
Expanding and changing the frontage road system may not
be a perfect fix and may create some new problems. As
some officials will point out, access on a one-way road will
mean longer trips in some cases, but turnaround lanes at
certain interchanges could help solve that problem. And
whether an improved system would mean economic growth
remains to be seen. Advantages do seem to outweigh the
disadvantages... - Texarkana Gazette Editorial
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Business Owners’ Concerns
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Business Owners’ Concerns
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Educate & Inform
What is a Collector-Distributor Road?
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Final Steps
Opportunity for a Public Hearing
− January 2006
Environmental clearance
− February 2006
Plans finalized
− May 2006
Construction Letting
− July 2006
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Project Funding
Contract let for $153.5 million
– $131.1 million State & Federal funds
• Categories 1, 3, 6, 8, 10, and 12
– $3.7 million from Bowie County
– $3.7 million from City of Texarkana, Texas
– $12.4 million from State of Arkansas
• Portion of the project in Arkansas
(between State Line Ave & Jefferson Ave)
Largest and most expensive TxDOT project in NE Texas at
the time
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Groundbreaking Ceremony
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Project Components
Turnarounds
One-way, continuous frontage roads
–Collector-Distributor roads
Reconstructed interchanges & cross streets
Additional crossovers
– Pavilion Parkway Underpass
– University Ave.
Relocated ramps to support one-way frontage road operation
– Ramps Changed from “Diamond” Configuration to “X” Configuration
New signalization at Cross Streets
– Reduced from 4 to 2 signalized intersections at Cross Streets
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Design Items to Consider
Make sure adequate
effort is put into Traffic
Control Plans (TCP)
IH 30 Project TCP was
over 300 plan sheets
Include cross sections for
each phase to account
for grade changes
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Design Items to Consider
Locate entrance/exit ramps in locations which allow the
best/easiest access to businesses
IH 30 Project switched system from “diamond” configuration” to
“X” configuration
October 12, 2016
Design Items to Consider
Construct frontage roads with collector-distributors to allow
continuous movement under cross streets
Requires longer structures for cross streets
Keeps frontage road traffic from going through signalized
intersection at cross street
Collector/Distributor
Access from
frontage road to
cross street
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Design Items to Consider
Design with possible future growth in mind. You don’t want to build
something that is outdated from the start
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Design Items to Consider
Construct U-Turns at cross streets to expedite traffic from the frontage
road one direction to the opposite direction, avoiding signalized
intersections
This has been a huge plus as far as the travelling public is concerned
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Construction Items to Consider
Use milestones to expedite critical phases of construction that are disruptive
to traffic
• On the IH 30 project, we had 2 “80-day bridge” milestones
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Construction Items to Consider
Pick a date to convert, advertise several weeks in advance….
and then stick to that date
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Construction Items to Consider
Keep the public informed during construction
− Bulk Postal Mail-outs
− Project Website
− Media Releases
− Public Groups (Rotary Club, Lions Club, etc.)
Be willing to discuss project with anybody that wants
to listen
Inform public of upcoming changes to traffic patterns
Develop a “thick skin”
“A bunch of
drunk monkeys
must have
designed this
project”
October 12, 2016
Post-Construction
Economic growth in Texarkana
Ease of movement/mobility
“Big City” feel
Positive feedback
“Every year since the completion of the I-30
project, Texarkana has grown and
experienced an increase in both sales tax
and hotel & motel occupancy tax.”
- Jerry Sparks, Economic
Development Director
October 12, 2016
Lessons Learned and Best Practices
Planning/Design Stage
− Get stakeholders/leaders involved early
− Meet with businesses in small groups or individually
− Keep the public informed
− Use visualization techniques
− Use terminology the public can understand
− Consider bicycle & pedestrian accommodations/issues
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Lessons Learned and Best Practices
Construction Phase
− Work with local economic groups (Hospitality Association,
Chamber of Commerce) to share information and
coordinate on construction phasing (i.e. Christmas
holidays)
− Design a TCP that minimizes impact to traffic and
expedites construction
− Design ramps, U-turns, C-D roads to provide uninterrupted
traffic flow
− Be willing to pay bonuses for accelerated construction
− Provide as much communication to the traveling public as
possible
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Keep a sense of humor – It will get bumpy along the way!
October 12, 2016
Questions?