Dallas Street Problems Compete for Attention, Funding

Dallas has an astounding $5.3 billion backlog of street repair and transportation needs, and Monday city leaders began deciding which projects will get attention.

The list includes $1.7 billion worth of streets beyond the point of repair, in need of complete reconstruction.

But city leaders are planning a 2017 capital improvement bond referendum of only $800 million. And other Dallas needs like old fire stations, police stations and parks are competing for a cut, too.

"This money is not going to go very far," Assistant City Manager Jill Jordan told City Council members Monday. "It sounds like a lot of money, but it's going to go fast."

The entire list of street needs, along with other Dallas capital improvement options, is now posted on a special city website for the 2017 bond referendum: www.dallasbond.com.

The city used a selection criteria to grade those projects for the greatest need and a prioritized list will appear on the site this weekend.

Council members are being asked to decide whether money should be divided evenly between council districts or assigned to projects with the greatest need.

Councilman Lee Kleinman, chairman of the transportation committee, said he favors spreading the money evenly among districts with priority for arterial thoroughfares.

"I think one of the reasons we have so many problems on our residential streets is because, if the arterial is in bad condition, then people feel they need to find alternative routes," Kleinman said.

The briefing Monday showed that some districts have more serious problems. The city has never attained the goal set years ago of 87 percent satisfactory streets with no council district below 80 percent. Currently Dallas streets are rated 73-percent satisfactory. And a Dallas "satisfactory" street can still have problems.

Driver Alexi Williams said she hit a pothole Monday.

"You hit bumps and holes everywhere. Look at the front of my bumper. I hit a hole, just coming from my house," she said.

Driver Ray Calloway said the backlog of street repair causes an expensive problem for Dallas residents.

"Think about the damage to our vehicles," Calloway said. "I've had five flat tires between my car and my motorcycle in the last six months."

Dallas has begun transforming some arterial streets into "complete streets," which include landscaping, wider sidewalks and bike lanes. It costs more than just covering potholes with new pavement.

Greenville Avenue in East Dallas is a partially completed complete street. On Greenville Monday, Dallas Uber driver Mark Evans said his customers prefer the attractive new surroundings.

"The nicer stuff is better, I think. I think it's just going to look better. I think it would attract more people," Evans said

Councilwoman Sandy Greyson said her North Dallas constituents have another transportation priority.

"I have just one word for you all," Greyson said. "Alleys, alleys, alleys."

Council members will be asked to make a final decision on transportation priorities at a November meeting, so now is the time for constituents to check the list to see where projects rank.

"We need this policy direction so we can craft the bond program to meet council's objectives which are the citizens’ objectives," Jordan said.