By David Hodges, Vice President and Transportation Chair, Argyle Area Civic Council
The Argyle Area Civic Council met with anyone who would sit still on this issue for more than one year. Our goal was to determine if this project would be able to be a cost efficient solution to traffic woes along the Blanding Parking Lot (a/k/a SR21).
Here's what we found:
1. It was supposed to assist Argyle traffic to get across the lanes of Blanding traffic to turn east onto Wells Rd.
That was it, pure and simple. Here's what else we found:
1. It would allow 1.5 more cars to cross Blanding at Wells Rd per light cycle.
2. It was designed to cost $11,000,000 to construct.
3. In arriving at the cost, they forgot that Argyle Forrest Blvd would be elevated by as much as eight feet at their designed intersection point, at the entrance to Lindsey Terrace Apartments. The new cost estimate for this bridge across wetlands would approach $16,000,000.
4. They had not considered the effect of Oak Leaf Plantation and the new malls and eateries that would siphon off Argyle traffic from wanting to go to Wells Road.
5. They had not factored in the effect of the Cleveland Rd. Connector (aka College Drive Extension) and the relief it would provide to those needing to use AFB to get to Blanding Blvd southward.
6. They had not factored in the reduced traffic on Blanding based on the Branan Field/Chaffee opening and were relying on old data.
7. They had not factored in the effect of the Collins Rd. Interchange at I-295 on Blanding Blvd traffic counts.
8. We suggested approval for an intersection with AFB at Westport.
THEREFORE, when the AACC factored in all the above, it unanimously voted to de-prioritize the Wells Road Connector as a far less than efficient use of transportation dollars and to PUSH hard for the following as priority
items:
1. The interchange at Collins Rd and I-295, and
2. The Cleveland Road Connector (aka College Road Extension).
3. The extension of Collins Road all the way to Branan Field/Chaffee Rd.
By David Hodges,TransportationChair
The Argyle Area Civic Council met with anyone who would sit still on this issue for more than one year. Our goal was to determine if this project would be able to be a cost efficient solution to traffic woes along the Blanding Parking Lot (a/k/a SR21).
Here's what we found:
1. It was supposed to assist Argyle traffic to get across the lanes of Blanding traffic to turn east onto Wells Rd.
That was it, pure and simple. Here's what else we found:
1. It would allow 1.5 more cars to cross Blanding at Wells Rd per light cycle.
2. It was designed to cost $11,000,000 to construct.
3. In arriving at the cost, they forgot that Argyle Forrest Blvd would be elevated by as much as eight feet at their designed intersection point, at the entrance to Lindsey Terrace Apartments. The new cost estimate for this bridge across wetlands would approach $16,000,000.
4. They had not considered the effect of Oak Leaf Plantation and the new malls and eateries that would siphon off Argyle traffic from wanting to go to Wells Road.
5. They had not factored in the effect of the Cleveland Rd. Connector (aka College Drive Extension) and the relief it would provide to those needing to use AFB to get to Blanding Blvd southward.
6. They had not factored in the reduced traffic on Blanding based on the Branan Field/Chaffee opening and were relying on old data.
7. They had not factored in the effect of the Collins Rd. Interchange at I-295 on Blanding Blvd traffic counts.
8. We suggested approval for an intersection with AFB at Westport.
THEREFORE, when the AACC factored in all the above, it unanimously voted to de-prioritize the Wells Road Connector as a far less than efficient use of transportation dollars and to PUSH hard for the following as priority
items:
1. The interchange at Collins Rd and I-295, and
2. The Cleveland Road Connector (aka College Road Extension).
3. The extension of Collins Road all the way to Branan Field/Chaffee Rd.
By David Hodges,TransportationChair
