ST8503-CS 851203GINN, INC. CONSULTING ENGINEERS
December 3, 1985
Honorable Mayor and Council
P.O. Box 478
Coppell, TX 75019
Re: Bethel School Road
Heartz to Moore Road
The following information is presented and your guidance
requested regarding Bethel School Road.
A. General Conditions:
Bethel School Road is an East-West collector street
parallel to Belt Line Road in the City of Coppell. It is
a two-lane asphalt with limited or no shoulders and open
ditch drainage. The surface is in fairly good condition.
Sight distances and intersections need to be improved.
The existing right-of-way is 60 feet in all places except'
for one parcel. There are 12 residential streets that
discharge traffic onto Bethel School Road between Heartz
and Moore Road.
It is expected to convey traffic in an East-West
direction between the eastern portion of the City and
areas just west of Denton Tap.
The proposed new street will be designed and constructed
to modern standards. It will be concrete with curb and
gutter and underground storm sewers. Sidewalks will be
provided. Decorative brick pavers will be installed at
the intersection cross walks.
There are many trees within the right-of-way which will
have to be removed. Additionally, some power lines may
have to be relocated.
Current traffic counts indicate 2512 vehicles per day.
The projected traffic volume is estimated to be between
5 and 8 thousand vehicles per day.
16135 Preston Road · Suite 10t~ * Dallas, Texas 75248 · Phc)nc 214 ~86-6611
A roadway is a public way over which all people have a
common and equal right to travel. A roadway should be
designed to:
Improve roadway capacity and expedite traffic flow
Reduce traffic hazards and accident causes
Achieve the best possible balance of benefits among
the adjacent property owners, roadway users, and
the community at large
Protect the public investment by preventing
premature functional absolescence
Improve the appearance of the roadway and adjacent
areas
It is current practice to design residential streets in
areas that serve only the residents along the street.
The design criteria of collector streets is applied to
areas that provide traffic flow from several subdivisions
on side streets.
It is current practice throughout the metroplex to design
residential streets at 27' width, collector streets at
37' (2 lane) and 45' (4 lane).
It is also current practice to provide right-of-ways of
50' for residential streets, 60' for 2-lane collector and
70' for 4-lane collector.
The design of any street is based on the projected
traffic flow that that street is expected to carry in a
safe efficient manner.
In consideration of the above criteria and in planning
for future development within the City, Bethel School
Road should be designed and constructed as a two-lane
collector (37' width).
C. Alternate Considerations
The residents along Bethel School Road have indicated that
they desire to have the street constructed as a residential
street (27' width). Their request is based on desires to:
have more parkway (between property line and back of curb);
save any trees within the right-of-way if possible; maintain
a residential atmosphere within this stretch of roadway.
This alternate design (27' width) would work for a few
years until the traffic volumes mandated widening to 37'
(5' on each side). The storm sewers and inlets should be
recessed (5') to accommodate future widening. The
sidewalks should be placed along the right-of-way line to
prevent any relocation in the future.
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It is our understanding that a Bond Program was passed
and bonds sold based on planning estimates for a 37'
street. It is our recommendation that a 37' street be
designed and constructed. The adjacent residents want a
27' street. We acknowledge that a 27' would h~dle the
traffic for several years and that certain additional
criteria should be incorporated in the design.
We seek your specific direction regarding the roadway
width.
Sincerely,
H. Wayne Ginn, P.E.
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