ST9905-CS080229
(8/21/2009) Keith Marvin - RE: Bethel Street ProjectPage 1
From:
"Parsley, Kevin S " <kevin.s.parsley@citi.com>
To:
"Ken Griffin" <kgriffin@ci.coppell.tx.us>
CC:
"Glenn Hollowell" <GHOLLOW@ci.coppell.tx.us>, "Keith Marvin" <KMARVIN@ci...
Date:
2/29/2008 8:11 AM
Subject:
RE: Bethel Street Project
Hello Mr. Griffin,
Thanks for responding. Believe me I have looked into every route possible and have tried the 635 to Bass
Pro as well, it's not much better time wise, as I think other people are starting to try that too because of the
Bethel mess that it's causing that to back up onto 635 almost. The frustrating part about Bethel is you can
go that way one day and it's a breeze and the next day and you get stuck there for 20-30 minutes. It's just
very frustrating that with all the businesses in this area that's there so limited ways to get over to 121 or 26
and half of my drive home is spent sitting in construction that's a minute from work. It takes me 20-30
minutes to go the 4-5 miles I need to get to 26, then once I get to 26 it takes me only 30 minutes to travel
26 to 114 to 35 all the way home.
It's just tricky each day trying to determine which way to go, one day you can go Sandy Lake and it's a
breeze, so you get confident and try it the next day and you sit there for 30 minutes, then you try Bethel
and sit there for 30 minutes, avoid it the next day, get stuck at Sandy Lake again and have a co-worker tell
you there was no traffic on Bethel yesterday. Yesterday I took Sandy Lake only to find out that they had
the 26 exit off 121 closed and had to end up taking the Bethel/Bass Pro exit.
I've lived in this Dallas/Fort Worth area my entire life and dealt with numerous construction projects, but
none has ever been as frustrating as this. You get off work after 8-10 hour day and ready to get home and
then have to deal with 30 minutes worth of what shouldn't be a very busy area. I expect the traffic on 121
or once I get to 26, but it just seems so trivial for it to be so bad in a little area like this. That's what
compelled me to write. Maybe I am the only one, but it got so frustrating I had to try something.
Again, thanks for the time, just your response has changed my perception of the City of Coppell at least, I
see that you do care.
As for the falling into a hole, I did do that one day going up Bethel to Bass Pro right before the light there, I
tried to get over to the right hand lane, right after the cone/barrier ended, apparently the cone was about
10-15 feet behind where the hole ended. I've seen other people do that as well. You see them pulling off
to the right and you're like noooo and then see them drop.
And I did see a truck smash into the City of Coppell sign right there at Bethel and Royal trying to make a
right onto Royal because there wasn't enough room for him to turn.
When is this project expected for completion? I can only hope it's to be finished before these new
businesses and the new college open causing even more traffic in this area.
Thanks again for your time and response!
-----Original Message-----
From: Ken Griffin [mailto:kgriffin@ci.coppell.tx.us]
Sent: Thursday, February 28, 2008 6:41 PM
To: Parsley, Kevin S [GCG-NAOT]
Cc: Glenn Hollowell; Keith Marvin
Subject: Re: Bethel Street Project
Mr. Parsley
With road reconstruction in urban settings there are always problems associated with maintaining through
(8/21/2009) Keith Marvin - RE: Bethel Street ProjectPage 2
traffic. In your email you state that the City should have just closed the road down. The road was left
open so motorists could still use the road, even through there would be delays. We do have signs placed
along the road that state "Expect Long Delays". For your own piece of mind, you may wish to avoid the
road altogether and continue south to IH 635. You could then use the Bass Pro exit to get back to SH 26.
This would be a longer route, but it may be more predictable and quicker.
I won't argue the merits of the handling or execution of the project. Nothing I say would change your
perception of this project. I will have my inspector look at the issues you raised concerning "falling in
holes", "barriers aren't in the right place" and knocked down city of Coppell signs.
If you wish to discuss this further, please contact me at your convenience.
Ken Griffin, P. E.
Director of Engineering & Public Works
972-304-3686
kgriffin@ci.coppell.tx.us
>>> "Parsley, Kevin S " <kevin.s.parsley@citi.com> 02/28/08 5:24 PM >>>
> I just have to say this is one of the most unorganzied, ridiculous handling of a street project I have ever
seen. I have never been so frustrated by road construction in my life. It makes no sense what they are
doing, it's very dangerous even attempting to get around it whether you're sliding on loose gravel or falling
in holes, because the barriers aren't in the right place or watching trucks take out the City of Coppell sign
because there's not enough room to turn onto Royal. I've seen it all or had it happen to me.
>
> I work for Citifinancial and live it North Fort Worth, it takes me about an hour to get home and 30
minutes of that most of the time is just trying to get over to Highway 26, once I get there it's fine, but
whether I go Bethel or Sandy Lake it's not any better, not even mentioning the very confusing and
dangerous intersection at 121 and Sandy Lake.
>
> Yesterday was absolutely ridiculos as they pretty much had Bethel shut down at Bass Pro with trucks
blocking the intersection, it was a total madhouse there. Why not just shut the road down totally to avoid
us even getting stuck on that road in that mess. People were almost hitting other cars trying to turn
around and get out of that mess in the very limited space that is available that as it is. Very unsafe and I
think it's just a lawsuit waiting to happen for you guys.
>
> Just seems very poorly planned and executed. I will not spend another tax dollar going out to lunch in
Coppell until this situation is alleved. It shouldn't take 30 minutes to go 2-3 miles.
>
> Kevin S. Parsley
> Loss Mitigation Specialist
> Citifinancial Mortgage
> 1111 Northpoint Dr.
> Coppell, TX 75019
> ph: 972-657-3116
> fax: 972-657-1655
> kevin.s.parsley@citi.com
>