Thursday, March 28, 2024

Signs at the N. White Chapel Roundabout

We’ve discussed how to drive through the roundabout located at N. White Chapel and Highland, now let’s talk about signs. Roadway signs are designed to keep drivers and pedestrians safe. When driving through the roundabout you may see the following signs:

 

Roundabout warning sign: alerts drivers that a roundabout is ahead.

 

Advisory speed plaque: displays speed limit when approaching this particular roundabout.

 

 

Lane movement sign: displays allowed maneuvers for each travel lane.

 

 

Yield sign: controls vehicles entering the roundabout. When approaching the roundabout, drivers are required to slow down but not come to a complete stop when other cars or pedestrians are present. The yield sign at the N. White Chapel and Highland roundabout is accompanied by triangular yield pavement markings.

 

One way sign: reinforces single allowed direction of travel. All traffic should travel counterclockwise within the roundabout.

 

 

Right lane must turn right sign: used to specify the only allowed maneuver from a turn

 

Keep right sign: directs traffic to stay to the right of a median or concrete island

For more tips on navigating through the N. White Chapel Roundabout, click here. Let’s Talk Roundabouts: Single and Dual-Lane.

For updates on this and other Southlake Mobility projects, follow Southlake Mobility on Facebook and visit www.ConnectSouthlake.com

 

 

 

Let’s Talk Roundabouts: Single and Dual-Lane

Currently, there are six roundabouts located within Southlake: N. White Chapel/Dove Road, Dove Road/Peytonville, Carroll/Dove, Carroll/Continental, S. White Chapel/Continental and N. White Chapel/Highland. The roundabout located at Zena Rucker Road and Tower Boulevard will be the seventh once construction is complete.

Out of the six roundabouts, four are single-lane and two are dual-lane. The new roundabout that will be located on Zena Rucker Road will also be a single-lane. The driving rules of a single and dual-lane roundabout require the following:

  • Slow down to the posted advisory speed
  • Look to your left to monitor traffic in the roundabout and check crosswalks for pedestrians
  • Yield to pedestrians and vehicles within the roundabout
  • Enter the roundabout and drive in a counterclockwise direction
  • Use your turn signals as you approach the desired exit

When approaching any roundabout, make sure you slow down and yield to traffic that is already in it. If you plan to turn right at the roundabout, use the right turn lane, if one is provided, and yield to vehicles exiting the roundabout. Be sure to watch out for pedestrians in the crosswalk. If you plan to go straight or turn left, watch vehicles to your left and enter only when you see a gap in the traffic. Drive into the roundabout in a counterclockwise direction. Before you approach the desired exit, please signal accordingly.

SINGLE LANE ROUNDABOUT

When navigating a dual-lane roundabout, as seen at the intersection of N. White Chapel Blvd and Highland, additional steps are required. Pay attention to the signs when approaching the roundabout and select the appropriate lane along N White Chapel based on the direction you want to go. Do not pass other vehicles or change lanes within the roundabout. All of the exits out of the roundabout are to the right. If you’re looking to turn right at the roundabout, you must be in the right lane upon approach. If you’re looking to continue straight through the roundabout, the second exit, you can be in either the left or right lane. If you’re looking to turn left at the roundabout, you need to be in the left lane upon entry and take the third exit to the right. If you’re looking to completely turn around, you must be in the left lane upon approach, pass all three exits, and continue in the opposite direction you came. Make sure to use your turn signal to alert other drivers you are exiting the roundabout.

Drivers approaching the roundabout from Highland St are in a single lane and can turn right using the right lane of the roundabout from E Highland St or the dedicated right turn lane from W Highland St. All Highland St traffic that is not turning right must yield to both lanes of traffic in the roundabout and then get into the left lane.

DUAL LANE ROUNDABOUT

Here’s a quick video on navigating roundabouts.

For more information about roundabouts or Mobility News, follow the Southlake Mobility Facebook page or visit www.ConnectSouthlake.com.

Roundabout Opens on N. White Chapel

The City’s newest roundabout, located at N. White Chapel and Highland, opened both lanes to drivers on December 20.

Drivers are encouraged to be cautious and pay special attention as they enter and exit the roundabout. When entering a roundabout, yield to both lanes of traffic. As you approach the yield signs, look to your left and yield to the traffic that is already in the roundabout Remember, vehicles in the roundabout have the right-of-way and you must yield to all lanes of traffic in multi-lane roundabouts.

Make sure you slow down and follow the signage to choose the correct lane when approaching the roundabout. To turn left, use the left lane. To turn right, use the right lane. To go straight, you can use either lane unless otherwise indicated.

If there is no traffic in the roundabout, drivers are not required to come to a complete stop before entering the roundabout.

To learn how to navigate a roundabout, watch this video.

As with any mobility project, the City of Southlake will observe traffic and make any needed corrections so that drivers can navigate the roundabout safely. Click here to contact us about a traffic tip or question.

The roundabout was a major component of the first phase of the N. White Chapel widening project. Phase 2 of the project includes the widening of N. White Chapel from Emerald to Highland.

When the project is completed, N. White Chapel will be a divided, four-lane road between 114 and FM 1709, with new sidewalks for pedestrians. The entire project is estimated to cost over $17 million.

For updates and more Mobility News, follow the Southlake Mobility Facebook page or visit www.ConnectSouthlake.com.

Phase 2 of N. White Chapel Paves the Way

 As 2019 comes to a close, so is Phase 1 of 2 of the N. White Chapel project.

Phase 1 of the N. White Chapel project included the construction of the dual lane roundabout located at the intersection of N. White Chapel and Highland.

To date, the construction of the roundabout has been completed along with the installation of new paving, sidewalks, medians and decorative pavers.

Crews are adding the final touches with the pavement striping and the installation of the public art display, “Be the Bridge,” by artist Boris Kramer, in the center of the roundabout. New street lighting and landscaping will be installed soon.

The construction of Phase 2 is steadily moving forward in preparation for the widening of N. White Chapel from Emerald to Highland. So far, contractors have installed a temporary construction fence along the west side of the road in preparation for the construction of a new screening wall. The contractor also began installing new water facilities.

The bulk of the roadwork for the widening project is expected to start in summer 2020.

Once the project is complete, N. White Chapel will be a divided four-lane road between FM 1709 and SH 114, with new sidewalks to accompany the new traffic lanes.

There will still be some temporary lane closures in the upcoming weeks, weather permitting. The entire road widening project, Phases 1 and 2, is estimated to cost over $17 million. Funding will be distributed from the General, Utility, Roadway Impact and Storm Water Utility System Funds and in partnership with Tarrant County.

If you would like to stay up to date on this project, please follow us on Southlake Mobility on Facebook.

Major Traffic Switch Coming with N. White Chapel Widening Project

Thanks to heavy spring rain, the timeline for the N. White Chapel widening project may have shifted, but progress has remained steady. The next major milestone for this project is to shift the Highland road closure to the west side of the intersection.

Crews are anticipating closing W. Highland at N. White Chapel, weather permitting, Monday, June 24 to complete the west side of the roundabout. This traffic switch will happen after the morning rush. As the completion of the east side of the roundabout is wrapped up this week, crews will be shifting attention to the other half. The closure includes the west side of the Highland and N. White Chapel intersection and about 500 feet of Highland leading up to the intersection.

In addition to the change in closures, this move will also result in the removal of the traffic signal at Highland and N. White Chapel. The signal will no longer be needed and will be disabled prior to this next phase. This means north and southbound traffic will flow freely through the intersection. There will be no east and westbound traffic through the intersection until the roundabout opens. Vehicles will not be able to turn west onto Highland from N. White Chapel.

Before the west side of the intersection is closed, the east side of the intersection will be partially reopened. Remember, the traffic flow from E. Highland will be different in preparation for the new roundabout traffic flow; E. Highland traffic will only be able to turn northbound onto N. White Chapel. That traffic will have a stop sign before entering N. White Chapel. North and southbound cross traffic will not stop, so drivers will need to heed extra caution before getting on N. White Chapel.

The work is expected to be completed before the start of the school year.

“This milestone puts us one step closer to a completed roundabout,” notes City Engineer and Deputy Director of Public Works Kyle Hogue. “I’d like to reiterate the importance of drivers proceeding with caution and traveling at or below the posted speed limit as they drive through the intersection. With the signal no longer being needed and disabled, that’s one more reason for drivers to pay extra close attention in this area. Also, remember as crews work toward the next phase to bring the two sections together the temporary transitions or ‘hump’ will remain in the intersection.”

Want to stay updated on this project? Follow Southlake Mobility on Facebook for all the up-to-date mobility news in Southlake. You can also visit the website at www.ConnectSouthlake.com.

Roundabout taking shape at N. White Chapel and Highland: Closure of W. Highland Coming Early June

Mother Nature may have tried to interfere with progress on the N. White Chapel widening project recently, but crews are still on track for completing the new dual-lane round about this summer, weather permitting of course.

The next major milestone for the widening project from Highland to SH 114 is the closure of W. Highland at N. White Chapel to complete the west side of the roundabout. This is scheduled to happen in early June after the end of the school year.

Weather permitting; the closure will include approximately 500 feet of W. Highland leading up to N. White Chapel. Vehicles will not be able to turn west onto Highland from N. White Chapel or cross the intersection as they drive west. North and southbound traffic will be maintained on N. White Chapel during the closure. The work is expected to be completed before the start of the school year.

Remember, when the east side of the intersection opens, traffic from E. Highland will only be reopened to northbound traffic on N. White Chapel only.

“This is going to remain a very active construction site throughout the summer,” notes City Engineer and Deputy Director of Public Works Kyle Hogue. “If you can’t avoid the area, I’d like to remind everyone to take extra caution when driving through. Take your time and pay attention to the posted speed limit. Our goal is to get everyone where they need to be as safe as we can.”

Crews continue to make significant progress on the paving of new north and southbound lanes. The contractor hopes to have the new traffic lanes completed in a few weeks in preparation for future traffic switches.

Want to stay updated on this project? Follow Southlake Mobility on Facebook for all the up-to-date mobility news in Southlake. You can also visit the website at www.ConnectSouthlake.com.

 

Want the Low Down on White Chapel? Here it is.

Behind the 30 mph speed limit on Randol Mill Avenue, all the action on White Chapel Boulevard comes in a close second to one of the most talked about roadways in Southlake.

White Chapel has had its fair share of activity in the past months, some planned and some not.  At the most recent City Council meeting, March 19, 2019, addressing the past, present and future Public Works Director Rob Cohen provided an update on everything White Chapel.

The past.

The Kirkwood Branch Culvert Crossing on N. White Chapel, near Bob Jones Park, has been repaired and the road is open again! Fall of 2018 was not kind to the culvert crossing, in September the roadway was damaged by flood waters causing the closure of the road. The City responded quickly and by October, an emergency repair was declared. By the end of November, the contractor was in place and repair work was underway. Despite a rainy couple of months, crews completed the repair work in early March. By March 11, a newly repaired safer crossing was open, once again opening a main thoroughfare in the north end of Southlake.

The present.

The North White Chapel widening project is moving along, pretty much right on schedule. Remember this is a two-phase project. The first phase is the widening from Highland to SH 114 and includes a new dual-lane roundabout at the intersection of Highland and N. White Chapel. Phase two will widen N. White Chapel from Emerald to Highland.

Since starting on phase 1 in spring of 2018, contractors have moved a lot of dirt and made great progress! Utilities have been relocated, drains have been built, and new roadway has been paved. If you’ve been following along with progress on Facebook with Southlake Mobility, you’ve seen that the roundabout is starting to take shape. With about 60 percent of the work completed there are a few major milestones to be on the lookout for in the coming months. In order to complete the roundabout, there will be two main closures on Highland this summer. The first one will be the east side of the intersection, and once that work is completed crews will close the west side of the intersection. Although getting through Highland will be more difficult during the closures, mobility will be maintained along N. White Chapel.

Director Cohen also mentioned a recent traffic control plan revision along the westbound SH114 frontage road at the request of TxDOT. Previously, traffic on the westbound frontage road turning under the overpass to access N. White Chapel had to merge underneath the overpass. Now the inside left turn lane has been closed down so all of the left turning traffic under the overpass will be consolidated to one lane before the traffic light.

Bids for phase two of the project are currently under review. While there is no roundabout work with this phase of the project, it will bring a much needed wider roadway in front of the high school. The plan is to award a bid in the next few months and getting utility relocation started.

Director Cohen also noted an emphasis on sharing information about the project. “As with phase one of the project, our goal is to communicate as much as we can,” said Cohen. “We know that while construction is ongoing, it will make traveling on N. White Chapel a little more cumbersome. I’d really like to encourage people to follow the Southlake Mobility Facebook page. We plan to be aggressive with the information we share. And if people enjoy seeing the progress pictures and videos we post, all the better.”

The future.

Construction is shifting south on White Chapel in 2020. Initiated by TxDOT, the bridge that connects Pleasant Run in Colleyville to White Chapel in Southlake, will be completely rebuilt. The Cities of Southlake and Colleyville will partner with TxDOT to help complete the project.

Repair work on the bridge was completed in 2015. TxDOT, Southlake and Colleyville also worked together at the time. The work included removing sand and rocks from around the bridge supports and addressed channel erosion around the base of the bridge.

As of now, the replacement project is scheduled to start in early 2020 and be completed by late 2020 or early 2021. While planning is still in progress, early plans include a new sidewalk on the new bridge. As the project gets closed to starting, we will share more information about the traffic changes that will come from the project.

In the meantime, if you haven’t already, follow Southlake Mobility on Facebook for all the up-to-date mobility news in Southlake. You can also visit the website at www.ConnectSouthlake.com.

Council Approves Public Art Installation for Roundabout located at N. White Chapel Boulevard and Highland Street

City Council approved the art concept and contract with artist Boris Kramer for his art sculpture, “Be the Bridge” to be installed at the N. White Chapel Boulevard and Highland Street roundabout.

It will be replacing the artwork, “Prairie Winds”, a sculpture by Seth Vandable, which will be relocated to Bicentennial Park.

The Arts Council recommended for the “Prairie Winds” installation to be relocated due to the structures “pioneer” vibe. The artwork will be moved near the log cabin in Bicentennial Park.  Members of the Arts Council recognized that Bicentennial Park is more suitable for the “Prairie Winds” sculpture because it will enhance the area’s connection with Southlake’s early settlers and wagon trails that were part of the westward migration.

Kramer’s piece, “Be the Bridge” was chosen based on feedback that was provided from a Joint City Council and Arts Council meeting in December.  The Arts Council goal was to seek a proposal for an art piece that would highlight unity and culture, and this piece did just that.

The concept of this piece is about bringing acceptance and tolerance through the experiences of play and dance. The central figure will have five predominant colors: black, brown, yellow, red and white. The artists’ theory is that the figure can be interpreted from a variety of viewpoints. The sculpture can represent everyone from different backgrounds with one of the figures in the middle of the group making the connection, the middle figure could also be interpreted as the person who does not fit into simply one ethnic background or social group, or the figure could be a person who is blended into a number of different groups but can still be a catalyst for equality.

The City utilizes roundabouts, key gateways, intersections, open spaces and key destinations as opportunities for special design features such as public art.

The roundabout program is a part of the Public Art Master Plan, a plan that recommends commissioning and installing public art pieces in the roundabouts throughout the City for beautification and to build a network of art markers that help with wayfinding and placemaking throughout the city.

To date, art is installed in all Southlake Roundabouts. The replacement and installation of both sculptures are expected to be completed by  Fall of 2019.

Office of Traffic Management is on the Move

There is a team of people who are constantly thinking about the City’s number one issue, traffic. Since its inception in 2014, the Office of Traffic Management has been working on ways to improve vehicle, pedestrian and bicycle movement, and safety within the city.

“With so many people on social media these days, we get a real-time picture of the challenges that commuters are facing during road construction and big events,” said Rob Cohen, Director of Public Works. “The feedback and comments have helped us work through the issues and roadblocks that drivers encounter.”

As a result of the recent completion of the roundabout at Dove Road and Peytonville the Office of Traffic Management has pulled together a video showing the best ways to drive the City’s roundabouts safely.

“The roundabout is a proven method to help decrease head-on crashes at high traffic intersections,” said Police Chief James Brandon. “It promotes a continuous traffic flow and helps eliminate the need for drivers to ‘beat the light’.”

Currently the City has nine roundabouts located throughout town. There are plans for at least one more dual-lane roundabout as part of the upcoming White Chapel widening project from Highland to SH 114.

For questions about the City’s roundabouts or the Office of Traffic Management, please call (817) 748-8098.