In an online article (12:00 am June 18, 2009) about the Manara Academy charter school, Katherine Leal Unmuth of the Dallas Morning News (www.dallasnews.com) reports that Coppell Mayor Jane Peters expressed "concerns about the traffic management plan, angst about the traffic situation" and "serious concerns about the safety elements" associated with the opening of the school.
While I certainly respect and appreciate the Mayor's opinion on this, my question to her, to the City Council and City staff is why do they continue to allow our citizens (predominantly school aged kids) to risk their lives crossing Sandy Lake Road west of Denton Tap Road? Voters approved the bond proposal to rebuild and significantly improve that stretch of road TEN YEARS AGO, but we still see no visible progress towards that end.
The City has been aware for years of the safety issue faced by those trying to cross the road (often students going to or from the high school), but no solution has been put in place. City staff tells of the challenges of gathering right of way access related to the roadway, and to issues of eminent domain related to a possible temporary safe crossing solution, but seemingly nothing has been done.
Please review my earlier blog entries on this important topic for further information and photos. I sincerely pray that the City immediately develops a temporary solution (interim sidewalks, crossing guards, traffic cops, whatever) and moves expediently towards execution on the voter-mandated plan to improve the roadway and upgrade this thoroughfare to the same standards this road already exhibits throughout our community.
We must not tolerate this situation any longer, as an injury or death as a result of the City's delays would be unconscionable.
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Wednesday, June 17, 2009
Coppell-Area Creek and River Paddling Opportunities
Now that the heat of summer is upon us, the chance to enjoy a nearby oasis of cool and shade is enticing. While undeveloped, Coppell has access to some wonderful creek sites ripe for exploration by kayak (or even canoe when the water is seasonally high).
My favorite section of local water is Denton Creek. Access, while not developed, is best gained from Andy Brown Park beneath North Denton Tap at the bridge that crosses the creek. Launching is difficult because of the muddy banks and thick undergrowth, but once you are on the water you will quickly find yourself transformed as the noise of the populated world recedes to reveal the music of the natural world - birds singing, insects buzzing, frogs croaking, leaves rustling in the breeze. Wildlife is often abundant in the form of snakes, hawks, turtles, armadillos, owls, 'possums and others usually out of view in the pace of our usual days. The creek has little current at normal levels, so you can easily explore both upstream and downstream.
Another local paddling opportunity is more accessible but less wild, and in both cases involves an out-and-back route that starts in paddling against the current, though that is rarely a major problem. The starting point is the intersection of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River with East Sandy Lake Road. McInnish Park (a city of Carrollton facility) is the access point, at the well designed launch site on the north side of that complex.
After a much easier launch (concrete ramp) at this site (versus the previously mentioned creek launch), you soon have a choice to make - following the river as it bends to the right (generally north-eastward), or taking the narrower passage offered by Denton Creek as it goes westward. The much wider river passage attracts some light motorboat traffic, is more impacted by nearby traffic noises, and its physical breadth is more impacted by wind than the narrower creek passageway, so if solitude and minimal wind is important, choose the creek.
The creek route is more wild for the first mile or so as it meanders toward the eastern portion of Coppell, ultimately taking the boater into the extended backyard of those suburban subdivisions.
I've not done the section of the river on the south side of Sandy Lake Road (below a flood control dam structure), but I expect that route would be less interesting and wild as the map shows a rather straight (perhaps man-made) route until the river is well south of Belt Line Road.
The challenges not yet mentioned on any of these routes include downed trees that block passage depending upon the water level, high levels of trash (primarily cans, plastic bags and bottles of all types that are swept into the water via storm drainage systems from Coppell and other communities upstream) and the widely varying water level itself.
Users of these waterways can and should have impact on some of the challenges: through greater awareness the city of Coppell could, perhaps, become interested in developing creek access at Andy Brown Park; the downed trees issue could be reduced through local advocacy and involvement of the local drainage authority; and trash could be collected from time to time and greater awareness developed within local cities detailing how that bottle tossed into a storm drain ends up in the river or creek.
Take the time to explore these local waterways - you will be amazed!
My favorite section of local water is Denton Creek. Access, while not developed, is best gained from Andy Brown Park beneath North Denton Tap at the bridge that crosses the creek. Launching is difficult because of the muddy banks and thick undergrowth, but once you are on the water you will quickly find yourself transformed as the noise of the populated world recedes to reveal the music of the natural world - birds singing, insects buzzing, frogs croaking, leaves rustling in the breeze. Wildlife is often abundant in the form of snakes, hawks, turtles, armadillos, owls, 'possums and others usually out of view in the pace of our usual days. The creek has little current at normal levels, so you can easily explore both upstream and downstream.
Another local paddling opportunity is more accessible but less wild, and in both cases involves an out-and-back route that starts in paddling against the current, though that is rarely a major problem. The starting point is the intersection of the Elm Fork of the Trinity River with East Sandy Lake Road. McInnish Park (a city of Carrollton facility) is the access point, at the well designed launch site on the north side of that complex.
After a much easier launch (concrete ramp) at this site (versus the previously mentioned creek launch), you soon have a choice to make - following the river as it bends to the right (generally north-eastward), or taking the narrower passage offered by Denton Creek as it goes westward. The much wider river passage attracts some light motorboat traffic, is more impacted by nearby traffic noises, and its physical breadth is more impacted by wind than the narrower creek passageway, so if solitude and minimal wind is important, choose the creek.
The creek route is more wild for the first mile or so as it meanders toward the eastern portion of Coppell, ultimately taking the boater into the extended backyard of those suburban subdivisions.
I've not done the section of the river on the south side of Sandy Lake Road (below a flood control dam structure), but I expect that route would be less interesting and wild as the map shows a rather straight (perhaps man-made) route until the river is well south of Belt Line Road.
The challenges not yet mentioned on any of these routes include downed trees that block passage depending upon the water level, high levels of trash (primarily cans, plastic bags and bottles of all types that are swept into the water via storm drainage systems from Coppell and other communities upstream) and the widely varying water level itself.
Users of these waterways can and should have impact on some of the challenges: through greater awareness the city of Coppell could, perhaps, become interested in developing creek access at Andy Brown Park; the downed trees issue could be reduced through local advocacy and involvement of the local drainage authority; and trash could be collected from time to time and greater awareness developed within local cities detailing how that bottle tossed into a storm drain ends up in the river or creek.
Take the time to explore these local waterways - you will be amazed!
Tuesday, June 2, 2009
Traffic Lights Beltline @ Dividend
Is it just me, or have you been getting stopped by the traffic light at Dividend and Beltline, just north of LBJ? These lights, installed over a year ago, seem to periodically detect a phantom vehicle atop their sensors as they then signal a red light for those traveling north and south, while the unseen "phantom" gets a green as it faces eastward. You'd think in today's era of amazing computer controls and technology such stops would be unnecessary, but experience says otherwise.
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