Fort Worth Star-Telegram from Fort Worth, Texas • 25

ve prrt Sunday December 171995 Fort Worth Star-Telegram I Section A Page 25 Interim' traffic projects proposed around speedway Ideas amounting to about $96 million in work to facilitate traffic are on the table in a consultant's report i interii iiimovementiAl Speedway 36" 1111 'Site 1 il IA 0 Proposals I(2 considered lliance 0 to ease traffic A trpoil jams at cgi (3 Texas Motor ISpeedway 1 ArtAilli 10-'t r- A MAMORU' i Worth or- 111111111 40 Speedway 111 'Site 114 11 sultant's report: Two miles of new frontage roads to fill the gaps along Interstate 35W between Texas 170 and Alliance Boulevard so some traffic could be directed onto the frontage roads Cost: $45 million A temporary exit ramp and frontage road leading from south-bound I-35W into the speedway complex Cost: $470000 Widening shoulders on Texas 114 for 19 miles including about 17 miles east from I-35W to add temporary traffic lanes Cost: $11 million A temporary interchange for the speedway on I-35W about a mile north of the Texas 114 interchange linking the freeway to the speedway loop road Cost: $36 million Other interim projects that are suggested but which have not been given price tags include: Extension of Heritage Parkway parallel to the eastern edge of Alliance Airport from the airport to the loop road around the speedway Wideningpaving I-35W shoulders including bridge widening from Denton to Loop 820 in Fort Worth A computer-operated changeable message-sign system to direct traffic on race days These signs could be as far away as the junctions of I-35E and I35W in Hillsboro and Denton advising those who aren't going Widening Texas 114 to a four-lane divided highway from I-35W to 1 mile west of I-35W Cost: $24 million Widening Texas I I 4 to four lanes from Texas I 70 east of Roanoke to I-35W including frontage roads from US 377 to I35W 4 miles Cost: $275 million Suggested long-term improvements five to 10 years away and with no cost estimates include: Widening Farm Road 156 to five lanes from the Texas 170 extension (at Haslet Road) to north of the speedway Adding main freeway lanes to I-35W between Texas 114 and Loop 820 to the speedway to use 1-35E through Dallas rather than 1-35W through Fort Worth Pedestrian sidewalks east of 1-35W near the speedway and walkways over 1-35W so parking areas could be developed across the freeway from the raceway complex Recommended "midterm" improvements which could be built 18 months to five years from now include: 1-35W frontage roads from the proposed speedway interchange to Texas 114 13 miles Cost: $37 million 1-35W frontage roads from Eagle Parkway (at Alliance Airport) to Texas 114 19 miles Cost: $77 million ''11 Build interim rancp off I-35W to race site 2 Expand Heritage Parkway to Texas 114 3 Overlay expand shoulders on I-35W from Loop 820 to Denton Source: Texas Department at Transportation Fort Worth Stariblegram -Roads From Page 1 Fort Worth Star-Telegram A traffic-engineering report prepared for Texas Motor Speedway outlines about $96 million worth of "interim" projects that could help move traffic along until major road projects can be funded and completed The interim projects could be completed in 10 to 18 months the report said Here are the interim fixes and their cost estimates from the con Speedway traffic jams raise pollution fears I I I I 0 i 1 11 i 111 I 11 --sa 3 'vs1 I i tt 1 In a i-a 11 1-' IS li I Istun -T JP' ---s- -K: 4 4 7-7 4-4' pe' At Atiel flotAra 0 i i if '1 4c-7H--tittiertT rnrTh-'P 't 'io 1v1 1 (' t- 4 :6:: A sr "i'' i i- l' A -N10 "1oto -Plsks 7 -1''-t'i' 4 ''4: xf irivmmay'r irio i 1' i iz---------- 42 -r- 1 it 0 ft4N it) cc I 't-1-- 47 itt et 1 I if 1t-' ''''A''''' I 0 It -ia 4 'Z'' ---141 Aitt (40 4-'71)? sy-" 416 id' 4701111r'e or' z4-c7Lvartlitrfr2 ----zag0 asi4 4410 Earth-moving equipment excavates the site of the Texas Motor Cup race For the big event Ilkhways approaching the speedway turn into parking lots swarming with pedestrians for about six flours in the morning and four hours in the evening 4'Such traffic gridlock will hit Tarrant Denton and Dallas counties -wady as next year when Bruton Smith's Texas Motor Speedway is scheduled to open at Interstate 35W and Texas 114 With 162000 grandstand seats and room for st40000 in the infield the speedway will be the second-largest nationwide and Texas' biggest sports facility Speedway officials have promised that the handful of major events planned for Texas Motor Speedway each year will bring the biggest traffic jams ever seen in North Texas with gridlock for 25 miles in every direction Yet with the scheduled speedway opening about nine months away no road work has begun no money has been committed for im-provements and no one has asked the state which i'already has billions of dollars of tcansportation needs that it can't to pay for anything Although city and speedway officials have discussed some tempo-vary relief it is unlikely that any li significant improvements could be in place in time for the scheduled raceway opening an event that peedway officials promise will atc tract as many as 150000 going to be a huge huge nightmare for the first race" said Groomer Fort Worth assistant city manager "We could -V bring in every state trooper and all "we could do is watch the traffic WE BREATHE AN OCCASIONAL SERIES when commuter traffic is lowest Indianapolis and Charlotte recently came into compliance with the Clean Air Act "I've never heard of the racetrack being of a specific major concern" said Jim Mathews a spokesman for the Arizona Department of Environmental Quality "There is some concern however that with the Fiesta Bowl Super Bowl and Greater l'hoenix Open golf tournament all near the same time we might be aggravating an already aggravated situation" Most environmental and transportation officials say a host of factors most of them currently unknown will affect the amount of pollution generated by traffic at Texas Motor Speedway The factors include when the races are held how "The key thing to remember is that we're talking about major events three times a year That leaves 362 days We're not talking about something that will affect our daily lives Most of the time people will think this thing is mothballed" Eddie Gossage speedway general manager much public transit might be made available what the outside temperature is and which direction the wind is blowing The NASCAR season runs from February through November but Texas Motor Speedway owner Bruton Smith has not yet secured dates for major Winston Cup races "It depends an awful lot on an awful lot of things" said Rick Martin assistant administrator for the Indianapolis air pollution control department The speedway isn't the only location expected to draw heavy traffic buildup Texas Stadium The Ballpark in Arlington Reunion Arena and even shopping malls are monitored by air-quality experts for congestion levels None however draws the crowds that the 160000- seat speedway is expected to attract Michael Morris director of the Transportation Department at the North Central Texas Council of Governments said a study of the effects of speedway-related traffic on air purity will be conducted But the benefits of economic development can't always be overlooked in favor of cleaner air he said "I don't hear too many people complaining that 'Boy I wish we didn't have the Dallas Cowboys because of the traffic'" Morris said "Until one dissects the traffic-impact study I'm not sure that we can state the implications Editor's note: As Texas worked to meet the EPA's November 1996 deadline for cleaner air the four-county Metroplex region recorded its most polluted summer since 1985 In a series of reports the Fort Worth Star-Telegram is taking a comprehensive look at the quality ofthe air we breathe BYCIIRISVAUCHN Fon Worth Star-Telegram Environmental groups are joining city officials and traffic engineers in raising concerns about all those vehicles that will trek to major events at Texas Motor Speedway The three dozen race cars roaring around the 15-mile track aren't expected to contribute much to pollution But increased out-of-town traffic and anticipated giant traffic backups in north Tarrant and Dallas counties will create emissions that depending upon the time of year could contribute to the formation of ozone a colorless odorless and toxic gas Still the effect on the region's already dubious air quality is unknown Speedway supporters say the infrequency of major races means emissions won't contribute much to air pollution "The key thing to remember is that we're talking about major events three times a year" said Eddie Gossage general manager of Texas Motor Speedway which is scheduled to open in fall 1996 That leaves 362 days We're not talking about something that will affect our daily lives Most of the time people will think this thing is mothballed" Environmental experts acknowledge that emissions from everyday commuter traffic are far more of a problem than special events But they say any added emissions are too much considering that the four-county Fort Worth-Dallas region is already out of compliance with the Clean Air Act The region Tarrant Dallas Collin and Denton counties surpassed federal ozone standards on 15 days in the summer the most since 1985 Unless the laws change or a waiver is acquired the region will not meet the EPA's November 1996 deadline for reducing emissions prompting further costly restrictions on businesses "1 know they say the races will be on weekends but even so the congestion does add to the problems of our air quality" said Earl Burnam president of the Tarrant Coalition for Environmental Awareness Major speedways such as Indianapolis Motor Speedway Phoenix International Raceway and North Carolina's Charlotte Motor Speedway attract tens of thousands of racing fans each year many during the summer months when high temperatures and calm winds create the perfect atmosphere for cooking emissions into ozone But environmental officials in each region agree that although emissions from idling traffic are not beneficial they are not hugely detrimental because the heaviest race traffic is and -41 3: Fort Worth Star-Telegram LE A Speedway near Alliance Airport Keeping it moving the absence of massive road improvements local governments say they will do their best to keep traffic moving on race days "It's going to take some hard innovative thought" Barr said One suggested solution is to set up remote park-and-ride lots and run buses to the speedway Speedway officials say a special bus-only route could be kept clear of other traffic along US 287 and Farm Road 156 so buses would have quick access That would encourage bus riders Gossage said Additionally the speedway would schedule special events before and after the races to help keep everyone from coming and going at the same time After-race events featuring NASCAR champions as drawing cards might be one option Police will use other measures including making some roads to the speedway one-way before and after races Because Roanoke's roads are expected to be gridlocked police say they will probably use bicycles to get around as they direct traffic Those plans won't help those who aren't bound for the speedway though and cities along Texas 114 worry that traffic will make their residents virtual prisoners in their homes "My guess is that the city of Southlake will be a parking lot" Mayor Gary Fickes said Officials in Trophy Club whose streets empty only onto Texas 114 say they worry that emergency vehicles won't be able to maneuver through race-day traffic jams However city officials say those massive traffic jams may eventually boost their long-standing requests for road improvements Northlake officials say they hope that the speedway will help get Farm Road 1171 widened This two-lane road which links 1-35W north of the speedway with Texas 121 in Lewisville could become a major connector to the raceway site In Roanoke officials are still waiting for money to build the long-promised Texas 114 bypass which could relieve the town of speedway gridlock Southlake has tried unsuccessfully for years to convince the state that already overburdened Texas 1 14 is a priority for funding "I don't know what we've got to do to get the attention of our state officials to help us" Fickes said "I'm for the racetrack because it's Road 156 would cost an additional $44 million according to an engineering consultant's report paid for by the speedway Fort Worth and Denton County are sharing the I 6 million cost of the perimeter road system and utilities at the speedway site 1 1 million from Fort Worth and $5 million from Denton County But no other money has been promised Fort Worth can't afford more Councilman Kenneth Barr said "We very much care about the success of that track and the road improvements" he said "But that doesn't mean we'll come with an open checkbook" Denton County isn't likely to contribute additional money either County Judge Jeff Moseley said "The only thing we Denton County can do is the roads immediately around the race site It would be difficult for us to bring more to the table" Moseley said Gossage said speedway officials are prepared to spend money for road improvements but hope that Fort Worth and Denton County will help "We're willing to do what's necessary willing to shoulder the load that is typically expected of business" Gossage said But he said "There are people who say 'You are causing the problem you should shoulder the burden' "But we are going to bring massive increases in gasoline tax receipts alone and that money is intended for road projects" he said "We are going to expect some of those tax dollars we generate to be spent here This speedway is an economic tool that we were asked to build here They courted us" Gossage also stressed that major events with their accompanying traffic jams will occur only a few days a year Other events such as auto shows and music concerts will draw smaller crowds Money shortage oil Worth says it is ready to be the official sponsor in asking the state Transportation Commission to fund further road projects but the city must wait until it completes negotiations with North lake to be able to annex the entire speedway site Even when Fort Worth officially asks the state for money coming up with 10 million for interim fixes will be difficult enough let alone the additional $44 million "There is no money designated for improving the highways to handle said Wes Heald Fort Worth district engineer for the state Transportation Department "The problem is that we don't have enough money to address the highway needs we have now on roads that people use seven days a week" Metroplex road planners have already identified $16 billion worth of transportation needs for the next I 5 years but they expect to have only about $7 billion to pay for them said Michael Morris director of transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments Another complicating factor is that the needed highway improvements fall in two state highway districts Dallas and Fort Worth said Mark Ball spokesman for the Dallas district The speedway is in Denton County which is in the Dallas disrrict Ball said redirecting Dallas-area road money to the speedway area will be a hard sell because Dallas taxpayers are clamoring for better highways for their daily commutes The sales job will be even more difficult because Dallas lost to Fort Worth in bitter competition for the speedway The attitude in Dallas could be that because Fort Worth won the speedway it can deal with the problems some officials said However if Fort Worth Denton County and the speedway offer to help pay the tab Ball said the commission could look more favorably toward their monetary requests especially considering the economic benefits that the speedway is expected to bring to the region and the state That sort of funding consortium is how Texas 170 which cuts through the heart of Ross Perot Jr's Alliance Development won quick state support Perot and other landowners donated right of way and paid for environmental and engineering studies Speedway and Fort Worth officials plan to take a proposal of that sort directly to the Transportation Commission said Heald the Transportation Department's Fort Worth district engineer Fort Worth and the speedway are already talking with the Transportation Department's staff in Austin bypassing the Fort Worth and Dallas districts Heald said "The plan is for them to finalize their program and present it to the commission sometime this winter" he said The three transportation commissioners appointed by the governor have the final say on how state and federal highway jam: oi-! And the traffic jams could go on for years because state Transpori tation Department officials say There is little likelihood that speedway road projects will get state -highway funds anytime soon if at A parking lot icture this: From 8 am to I pm on race days traffic will r-b'ack up 25 miles in each direction 1 'from the speedway site near Alli- Airport with as many as 30000 cars converging at each of several major intersections Traffic passing through the Metroplex on Interstate 35 might De routed along I-35E through Dal-leaving I-35W through Fort Worth as a race-only route Scores of state troopers and aided by 'computerized high-ay message boards will direct traffic Roads through small towns near the speedway will resemble mall parking lots All this traffic will converge for the biggest traffic snarl of all at the ibtersection of1-35W and two-lane Texas 114 the main entrance to the 1000-acre speedway complex On major race weekends ad-vises speedway General Manager "kadie Gossage "You either go to racetrack or you stay PSpeedway officials have pro- in pdsed some interim solutions that could cost less than $10 million 'including temporary 1-35W shoulder paving on 1- 35W new frontage roads and a Hew 1-35W interchange a mile of Texas 114 But if the in- terim projects were begun tomor- a-tow few could be completed by opening day' Long-term improvements that 4 are needed including the widening of1-35W Texas 114 and Farm 'u4 n''' "'s" ing of 1-35W Texas 114 and Farm 4 4 4 --0 ---0-- --0-- guitig tu Wile summing IlKe mat to on aim oullua a die the traffic at the racetrack" money is spent in make something happen Texas cations to we puotic 1 I I 's ti the traffic at the racetrack" money is spent in Texas I going to take something like that to make something happen" on Saturdays Sundays to the public".