Loading...
HomeMy WebLinkAbout(3) STILWELL CLOSURE PLANCZTY OF PORT ARTHUR, TEXAS PUBLZC WORKS DEPARTMENT Memorandum TO: FROM: DATE: SUB3ECT: Steve Fitzgibbons, City Manager Works ~.,~..~..-- Leslie E. McNahen, P.E., Director of Public 3anuary 3, 2003 Stilwell Closure Plan As you know, ETSI has completed the traffic impact study for the possible closure of Stilwell Boulevard between Procter Street and Lakeshore Drive. This study was jointly funded by the City, PAISD and Lamar College. The conclusions are as follows: Closure of Stilwell would benefit both Wilson Middle School and Lamar College by providing a better school environment and higher level of pedestrian safety. Only one of the six major intersections in the area would be affected adversely by the closure but that would be soltened by traffic from the east using additional access routes to Wilson rather than concentrating turning movements near the Lamar and Wilson campuses. 3. 50% of the accidents happening in the study area occur at Procter @ Stilwell and Stilwell @ Lakeshore. Closure of Stilwell would eliminate dangerous traffic movements at Stilwell ~ Lakeshore, and reduce the queuing of cars on Procter @ Stilwell. Closure of Stilwell would enhance student safety dudng evacuation drills or actual events. The existing traffic signal would have only two phases under the new plan, one for traffic movements on Lakeshore and one for pedestrian movements across Lakeshore. The crosswalk across Lakeshore @ Stilwell would be increased in size and made more prominent. Additional parking spaces gained in the area by Lamar College adding off- street spaces and the relocation of the bus drop-off/pick-up operation would offset those lost with the closure of Stilwell, The bus operation relocation would also free up additional spaces on Lakeshore and would allow for a good car drop-off, parking and pick-up plan. The best location for the new drop-off/pick-up operation is at the rear of Wilson on the Seawall Drive. In order to provide proper boarding orientation, it would be necessary to permanently reverse the flow of traffic on Seawall Drive. This relocation has the concurrence of PA1~SD over two other proposed plans. ]~n order to avoid any appearance that Wilson is being isolated when Stilwell is closed, measures should be taken to include architectural elements that would carry the theme of the pedestrian plaza across Lakeshore and onto the Wilson campus. The closure of Stilwell would not impact the operation of emergency vehicles as this section of Stilwell in not used as a regular route by such vehicles. Additionally, access to Gates Library would not be affected and its surroundings would be enhanced by the pedestrian plaza. There are a number of quite workable changes and alterations that would have to be made to accommodate the closure of Stilwell but the three parties agree that all are worth the benefit to be gained by the closure, l~mplementation should be put on hold until the PAISD bond issue is voted on, said bond proposal indicating that Wilson will be closed, under either the PA]lSD or _lustice Department plan, if the issue is approved.