Mobility improvements for North Carroll Avenue and State Street are coming in the near future. City Council recently approved an Engineering Services Agreement with Kimley-Horn and Associates, Inc. during the September 17 City Council meeting. The firm will provide design services for several mobility improvements on both roads.
North Carroll Avenue
As of now, North Carroll Avenue commuters experience significant traffic delays while turning left onto SH 114, exiting Lake Wood Drive, leaving Town Square and turning right onto Southlake Boulevard. There is also a recurring issue with drivers making illegal U-turns near the Department of Public Safety (DPS) Headquarters facility. The agreement will allow professional engineering consultants to provide and design recommendations to address these issues.
The design will include an extension of the northbound left turn lane onto SH 114 from North Carroll Avenue to help reduce queue lengths which extend past Lake Wood Drive. The median at Lake Wood Drive will be redesigned to restrict any through movements or left turns from the shopping center, while maintaining full access for residents turning onto North Carroll Avenue. To promote safety and encourage drivers not to make illegal U-turns, pavement treatment alternatives will be explored near DPS Headquarters. This could include special pavement marking or new materials to make it clear that this area is for emergency vehicle usage only. Left turns from Main Street onto North Carroll Avenue will be restricted in order to improve safety and decrease delays for exiting traffic, and the right lane will be extended at Southlake Boulevard to increase capacity for right turns.
State Street
Modifications to State Street at SH 114 will address difficulties for heavy trucks entering and exiting Town Square, which is currently a safety concern for both pedestrians and drivers. Improvements will include expanding the curb radius to allow safer entry and exits for vehicles and re-aligning sidewalks to facilitate crossing and creating a larger buffer between pedestrians and traffic.
The Southlake Mobility Team’s priority is to continue to identify transportation needs for motorists and pedestrians. As items are brought to the table, the team works to address those items in order to enhance the mobility in Southlake. Addressing mobility concerns near Southlake Town Square will positively impact residents, commercial property owners and visitors to the City of Southlake.
Funding for these improvements will come out of the FY 2017 through 2019 Capital Improvement Program budget. Design for the project is scheduled to start in October 2019.
