35 replies to this topic

[johnfwd]

Occupying an office building at the corner of West 13th and Florence, I'm concerned about the increased traffic flow at this location once the new QuikTrip is constructed and opens for business.

 

QT will be situated just to the northeast of the busy intersection at Henderson and Lancaster.  I have seen the art drawing which doesn't appear to show any fuel pumps.  Nevertheless, QT is sure to generate more traffic at that intersection.  Motor vehicle ingress and egress so close to that intersection can't help but cause some traffic congestion, particularly during rush-hour periods. 

 

But I'm more concerned about potential congestion at ingress-egress off the narrow Florence Street and, as that may affect the east-west traffic flow on the much narrower West 13th Street.

 

I'm not against QTs.  But I often drive west on Lancaster and turn right onto Florence to my office building, and I often go north on Henderson and turn right onto West 13th toward the office.  The new QT portends to complicate my driving experience at this location.

[Doohickie]

Does the 7-11 at W7th & Summit wreck traffic?  Why would a QT be any different?

[rriojas71]

I think it will create more traffic but I don't believe to the point where alarms should be raised.  I think someone else mentioned that being a potential problem however I don't see how.  People who use that intersection are going to continue to use it as normal.  Then you will have a few people who travel there for gas.

 

The one issue I do see is that it doesn't look like it's going to be the urban design we hoped for and secondly if there is heavy traffic it's going to be from the lack of entrances.  One seems to be on 13th from Henderson and the other is on Florence off of Lancaster.  

[Crestline]

I'm not against QTs.  But I often drive west on Lancaster and turn right onto Florence to my office building, and I often go north on Henderson and turn right onto West 13th toward the office.  The new QT portends to complicate my driving experience at this location.

 

If this adds a couple of minutes (at worst) to your commute every day and gives you an extra dozen cars (at worst) to pay attention to while driving in the vicinity, then I think you'll adapt pretty quickly to the new traffic patterns. This is just the price we're going to have to pay to get rid of surface lots in this town.

[Stadtplan]

I wish they would replace surface lots with something other than convenience stores.

[Austin55]

The Rosedale location, which has a lot more pumps than this one, is busy but it's never like, gridlocked. And it has a 300-unit apartment building on the same side street. 
It has generated quite a bit of foot traffic.

[Stadtplan]

It has generated quite a bit of foot traffic.

 

Good foot traffic or questionable foot traffic?

[RD Milhollin]

 

It has generated quite a bit of foot traffic.

 

Good foot traffic or questionable foot traffic?

 

Please define terms.

[Doohickie]

Good foot traffic or questionable foot traffic?

Yes.

[John T Roberts]

m & Rriojas71, I think it may be closer to the better urban design than you might think.  It is supposed to have a corner entrance at Henderson and Lancaster.  However, due to the grade change on the overall site, part of the building has to be above the grade at the lowest point.  Unfortunately, that is along Henderson at Lancaster.  It appears the windows at that point are going to be higher than desirable, but with the finish floor being on the parking lot side for handicapped accessibility, I don't see how it can be avoided.  As it is built, we will be able to see if the project turns out better or worse than we had expected.

[rriojas71]

m & Rriojas71, I think it may be closer to the better urban design than you might think.  It is supposed to have a corner entrance at Henderson and Lancaster.  However, due to the grade change on the overall site, part of the building has to be above the grade at the lowest point.  Unfortunately, that is along Henderson at Lancaster.  It appears the windows at that point are going to be higher than desirable, but with the finish floor being on the parking lot side for handicapped accessibility, I don't see how it can be avoided.  As it is built, we will be able to see if the project turns out better or worse than we had expected.

I was looking at it at the corner of Henderson and Lancaster and I don't see where they are going to squeeze an entrance in there... one, it is going to be extremely close to the light pole and secondly, the way the sidewalk is around there it is difficult seeing how they plan to build up an access ramp or stairs.   I guess only time will tell.

[johnfwd]

I have no objection to the new design for this QT.  But I'm really concerned about traffic along the very narrow and very short stretch of roadway which is West 13th Street.  If any of you have driven on this street, you would be as concerned as I am about an increased flow of traffic.  Let me point out that 13th Street will be the avenue for motorists leaving the QT and headed for Macon Street to take the southwest ramp that goes to I-30.  And, with a lot of vehicles going south on Macon to the ramp, especially during rush hour periods, motorists on 13th will have to wait their turn.  That could mean bumper-to-bumper traffic on 13th Street and that could back up to Florence.  I'm serious about this!

[JBB]

In my experience, QT locations don't cause backups on surrounding streets.  Is there something unique about this location that would?

[rriojas71]

In my experience, QT locations don't cause backups on surrounding streets.  Is there something unique about this location that would?

The only thing I can think of is that there are only 2 entrances and the one on Lancaster can only be accessed by going westward on Lancaster.  The northern entrance at 13th street is where the backup is going to occur with cars entering and exiting the location.

[Stadtplan]

I have no objection to the new design for this QT.  But I'm really concerned about traffic along the very narrow and very short stretch of roadway which is West 13th Street.  If any of you have driven on this street, you would be as concerned as I am about an increased flow of traffic.  Let me point out that 13th Street will be the avenue for motorists leaving the QT and headed for Macon Street to take the southwest ramp that goes to I-30.  And, with a lot of vehicles going south on Macon to the ramp, especially during rush hour periods, motorists on 13th will have to wait their turn.  That could mean bumper-to-bumper traffic on 13th Street and that could back up to Florence.  I'm serious about this!

 

If 13th backs up, I would go north to Texas St then over to Macon.  I would be more concerned with cars on W 13th trying to make that left onto Henderson south, that seems far riskier and more of a headache.  Either way, I can see a lot more traffic hitting 13th St more than it has seen in a long time.  Also, cars pulling out of QT on Florence St wanting to go west on Lancaster but cutting across to turn left on Henderson...now that could be a headache during busier traffic, especially if they pull across and block Lancaster's right turn lane to Henderson.  

 

[Doohickie]

If any of you have driven on this street, you would be as concerned as I am about an increased flow of traffic.  Let me point out that 13th Street will be the avenue for motorists leaving the QT and headed for Macon Street to take the southwest ramp that goes to I-30.  And, with a lot of vehicles going south on Macon to the ramp, especially during rush hour periods, motorists on 13th will have to wait their turn.  That could mean bumper-to-bumper traffic on 13th Street and that could back up to Florence.  I'm serious about this!

Eh, I ride my bicycle northbound on Henderson under I-30 and usually turn on 13th Street because there's.  Never.  Any.  Traffic.  On.  13th.

[johnfwd]

Maybe I didn't make it as clear as I should have.  I don't care about the Henderson/Lancaster intersection.  It can handle the new traffic flow from the QT.  Florence is not so much the problem, either, but it could be. It's West 13th Street from Florence to Macon Street that will be the problem.  Why?

 

During late afternoon rush hour, a lot of motorists head south on Macon to the frontal street going west to the I-30 entrance ramp.  During that period, when I pull out of my parking lot at 13th and Macon, I often have to wait for the procession of cars to pass by on Macon in order to enter the flow.  Now, it looks like some of the increased traffic from the QT will be going east on13th (from Florence) toward Macon in order to join the procession on its way to I-30.  Late afternoon rush hour may exacerbate this traffic flow.  It's possible a back-up of cars will result from the flow from Florence onto 13th as cars go south on Macon. Both Florence and 13th are very narrow streets.

 

I'm not a traffic engineer.  But I fear future headaches getting onto Macon Street at 13th to go home on I-30 during late afternoon rush hour.  We shall soon see.

[Doohickie]

It seems like you're looking for a problem.

[Crestline]

I'm not a traffic engineer.  But I fear future headaches getting onto Macon Street at 13th to go home on I-30 during late afternoon rush hour.  We shall soon see.

 

If this adds a couple of minutes (at worst) to your commute every day and gives you an extra dozen cars (at worst) to pay attention to while driving in the vicinity, then I think you'll adapt pretty quickly to the new traffic patterns. This is just the price we're going to have to pay to get rid of surface lots in this town.

[JBB]

Most traffic problems that people fret over are a matter of seconds rather than minutes.  Sure, it adds up over time, but you're likely have just as much a chance of getting held up by an accident or stalled vehicle or a train at a railroad crossing later or earlier in your commute.  Any traffic headache involving this QT is going to be for the people trying to exit the parking lot, not the people on the surrounding streets.

[hale1114]

 

 

It has generated quite a bit of foot traffic.

 

Good foot traffic or questionable foot traffic?

 

Please define terms.

 

If you mean "urban camper" foot traffic, then yes. 

[johnfwd]

During the QT construction, NW 13th from Florence to Henderson has been blocked off to traffic.  I think the city should close this street at that location permanently.  That might help relieve some of the potential traffic congestion caused by QT.

[Crestline]

Here's a street view image of your building from the 13th and Florence intersection. (Ignore Google's funny error of labeling Florence as Lancaster.) You're worried about entering traffic from the red box on 13th, but it looks like there's a warren of navigable parking spots under the building—can you just enter traffic from the green box on Florence instead?

 

[rriojas71]

Sometimes development is built that causes changes to our normal patterns due to changes in traffic patterns or how new roads are added, new detours created or on occasions roadways taken away.  It happened to me for years when they closed down Grand Ave where it intersects with N Main a few years back.  It was closed for about 4 years and so I had to find a new work around that basically was about 10 seconds longer to traverse.  As unfortunate as it is it is a part of life in a growing city.  I'm sure once you get your new routine down then it will all become moot.

[Stadtplan]

I was driving the other day near a fairly busy intersection of arterial streets meet toll road and I watched this nicer Audio A8 suddenly dart down a marked "Dead End" road toward a turn-around thinking it was a side street to skip the line at the stoplight ahead.  I thought to myself, "now he messed up and he'll just have to turn around and re-enter our lane and wait at the light like the rest of us."  Nope, I proceeded to watch him bolt through a school parking lot and some other businesses adjoined parking lot, take another side street all to avoid waiting 1 to 2 minutes at a stoplight (max 1 cycle).

 

A buddy of mine actually got a ticket for doing that in Southlake.  Back when we were working in Westlake, he thought he'd cut through one of the business parking lots at Kimball and 114 to avoid a long stoplight (I think it was during all that construction of 114 back about 10-15 years ago this would have been around 2008.  The officer nabbed him right there in the parking lot or coming out of it, I don't remember specifically how the trap was set-up.  We all sort of agreed it was a dumb move.  Barring some sort of accident shutting down the intersection ahead, I don't see how you could get out of that one.

[AndyN]

Here's a street view image of your building from the 13th and Florence intersection. (Ignore Google's funny error of labeling Florence as Lancaster.) You're worried about entering traffic from the red box on 13th, but it looks like there's a warren of navigable parking spots under the building—can you just enter traffic from the green box on Florence instead?

 

No. The red box does not connect to the green box. The green box is a surface parking lot that lies next to the covered parking, which is at least 3 feet higher than the surface lot. I used to office in that building.

[Crestline]

Here's a street view image of your building from the 13th and Florence intersection. (Ignore Google's funny error of labeling Florence as Lancaster.) You're worried about entering traffic from the red box on 13th, but it looks like there's a warren of navigable parking spots under the building—can you just enter traffic from the green box on Florence instead?

 

No. The red box does not connect to the green box. The green box is a surface parking lot that lies next to the covered parking, which is at least 3 feet higher than the surface lot. I used to office in that building.

 

Well shucks, scratch that idea!

 

During the QT construction, NW 13th from Florence to Henderson has been blocked off to traffic.  I think the city should close this street at that location permanently.  That might help relieve some of the potential traffic congestion caused by QT.

 

I think closing roads to automobile traffic is neat if it restores walkable urbanism and gives the space back to pedestrians. For example, it's great that Main doesn't run through Sundance Square. But here on 13th Street those motivations don't really apply.

[johnfwd]

The gas pumps at QT have been open for over a week now.  I got some there this morning.  So far, my fears of traffic congestion have not been realized.  Seems most motorists are entering and exiting off Henderson, leaving NW 13th and Florence much as those streets were before the QT.

[rriojas71]

I put gas in today and left there using Florence to get to the FW club and I left with about 4 other people.  I was the only one to head north on Florence.

[johnfwd]

I put gas in today and left there using Florence to get to the FW club and I left with about 4 other people.  I was the only one to head north on Florence.

As I've stated here before, Florence is a good thoroughfare.  NW 13th is too narrow and would not be good if there's too much traffic on it.

[John T Roberts]

When I was there on Saturday, I filled up my tank and exited on 13th.  I turned right on the street, and then turned right on Florence, then another right on Lancaster and left on Henderson to head home.  I was the only vehicle on 13th at the time.  I pulled into the station first, so I could go in and take a look.  I purchased a couple of snack items, and then I headed over to the gas pumps because the price was a little cheaper than in other parts of town that morning. 

[Volare]

I filled up a couple of times already at this location. I find the traffic flow annoying and 13th far too narrow.

[Stadtplan]

I filled up a couple of times already at this location. I find the traffic flow annoying and 13th far too narrow.

 

When approaching 13th from the north, there was a pickup trying to turn onto Henderson and I also thought 13th was shockingly narrow.  I allowed him to clear the intersection before I turned otherwise, I wasn't certain we'd both fit.  I was there late enough in the evening that I didn't notice any other traffic flow issues but could see the potential for it during peak hours.

[shanejrhere]

Almost everybody has faced that on 13th 

[johnfwd]

I think NW 13th is, for motorists, a "grin and bear it."  This short span cannot be widened.

[Volare]

Although the location of this station is very convenient for me nearest my kids school, the traffic flow problems have generally kept me from using it other than the couple of times that I tried it.