Representatives from Garland's Transportation, Engineering, and Parks Depts presented plans for the improvement of Naaman School Rd, between Lavon Hwy and Pleasant Valley Rd, tonight to about 30-35 people from the adjoining neighborhoods. I appreciated that so many people came to review the plans and to ask questions, and I appreciated that so many city staff members once again worked all evening after putting in a full day.

I sensed that everyone, presenter and presentee, gained some insights for the dynamics of the project and its affects.

I hope this meeting is the impetus to have more such meetings much earlier for future project. The chance to learn of opportunities for improvement greatly increases and it is possible to learn that neighbors are less concerned about other parts than originally imagined. The end result is a project better sculpted to its location and everyone happier with the result. Next time.

If this was a meeting that you should have attended, I talked to various people that were taking notes either for neighborhood newsletters or for future association meetings.

Some of the highlights that I heard:

• The work now underway was initially planned in 1986
• Work started on the eastern end in June and work is estimated to be completed by June, 2008
• The improved street will have much higher capacity afterwards, and is being increased from two lanes to a four-lane, divided roadway
• The new street will have landscaping on the center medians and along the southern edge
• Landscaping will be varied, from crepe myrtles on the median to multiple species along the edge, depending on the width of the planting area
• The school crossing at Mars will be closed when a large hole is excavated for utility work; school district officials have said they will use buses to carry children from the south side to Lister Elementary
• Periodic updates will be posted on the Transportation Dept webpage and bi-weekly on Time Warner Cable channel 96 and Verizon Fios TV channel 38.

I was also impressed to see Daniel Krzyzanowski from the Planning Dept there. Daniel was an observer rather than a presenter but Daniel has been working with several of the neighborhoods on the south side of Naaman School Rd as part of the Vital Neighborhoods program. He led the city's efforts on that program for the Carriage House neighborhood this last year and will now move to the next phase: implementing some of the initiatives identified in that process.

UPDATE: Del Newberry was one of those residents at the meeting taking notes. He has forwarded an e-mail that he shared with his Carriage House neighbors. I'm posting much of it because, frankly, his information is more comprehensive than what I posted.

 

It was a very informative meeting and the city staff was patient with all residents, staying as long as it took to answer individual questions.

 

The city was represented by John Baker, Robert Wunderlich, Ann McGinnes, Donna Manhart, Mike Meade, and Jean Redfern.

 

John Baker started by giving a history of the project, which goes back to a 2004 bond referendum. The money was available in 2005 to begin the design and planning phase of the project. Actual work on the road started in June and is expected to be complete by June, 2008. It is a $6.85 million project and is the first of the projects on that referendum that will actually add capacity to a street. Tri-Con is the contractor and the city has used them before with great results, always meeting deadlines.

 

Naaman School Road will consist of a 4-lane divided street (two lanes in each direction). From Crist to 78, there will be a center turn lane, from Crist to Pleasant Valley it will have a median with 'street-scaping', landscaping to include crepe myrtles, grasses, shrubs, etc. Ann McGinnes had posters of some of the varieties of plants that would be used. There will be sidewalks on both sides—also more plants to 'screen' the street from the alleys and to make the project more visually appealing.

 

I forgot the term, but there will also be 'patterned' concrete, that is made to look like brick, for some of the median and turn lanes. From the pictures we saw of the design concept, it looks very nice and we should be proud to have this kind of attention to detail beside our neighborhood.

 

The alley from Mars to Paris (don't quote me on this, I think that is the section) will be re-paved, as well as the corner section of the alley at Crist and Naaman, where water collects now.

 

Jean Redfern said GISD agreed to provide buses to transport children when the crossing at Mars and Naaman is closed to pedestrian traffic. More details will be coming home with the children at Lister when the plan is solidified and the dates of closure are determined. This is for the safety of the children, as there will be a giant hole at that intersection for a period of time.

 

Engineering Departement will let affected citizens know when their respective alleys will need to be closed for work, and we will be instructed to park in front of our homes for a brief period of time.

 

As I find out anything new, I will pass it along in an e-mail or post it to our website (www.CarriagehouseNeighbors.org).

 

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