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Coppell Greens-CS120611 From: Phil LaBerge [mailto:cavalaire@hotmail.com] Sent: Friday, June 08, 2012 3:32 PM To: George Marshall Cc: Coppell Greens HOA Board; Kenneth Griffin Subject: RE: Coppell Greens - Traffic Light Needed at Denton Tap & Fallkirk Drive June 8, 2012 Mr. Marshall, After our discussion, I gave your comments about a hooded turn lane some thought. In fact, I lost a bit of sleep over it thinking about the large number of Coppell Greens residents who would be protesting outside City Hall were that to occur. Our home owners may not turn out in large numbers to vote, but I am quite sure they would be very vocal if you took away their ability to turn northbound on Denton Tap at the Fallkirk entrance. The reasons for accidents I see as follows: * Traffic Density: * Turning northbound from Fallkirk: in the mornings and evenings, the amount of southbound traffic makes it challenging to get over into the safe zone of the median. It is then difficult to find a break in the northbound traffic large enough to gain speed on the uphill grade. * Turning southbound from Fallkirk: when turning southbound out of the Fallkirk entrance, traffic comes speeding down the hill right on your tail once you exit. For some reason, people think it is their right to both speed down the hill and then tailgate to show you that you slowed them down. * Confusion: * When two cars enter the median from opposite sides, there is confusion if the cars should pass to the left or right of each other. * When northbound cars on Denton Tap are in the median turning left onto Fallkirk, cars often exit the Ballantyne apartment complex, illegally enter the median, and cut-off the person making the turn. That has happened to me a number of times. * Reckless Driving * Coppell Greens residents roll through and hardly stop at the stop signs sometimes. * I had a Coppell Greens resident once grow impatient when I was waiting to pull into the median to go northbound on Denton Tap. They then pulled around me at the same time I was entering the median and then roared into the middle lane northbound almost causing an accident. * Speeding * People speed coming down the hill southbound on Denton Tap. Police have ticketed but it has had little or no impact. * The speed limit is 45 mph. As the building density increased along Denton Tap south of 121 and Beltline, the speed limit was reduced. With completion of the Market Street development, Rosa’s development, Coppell Greens and Ballantyne Apartments, why wouldn’t a reduction of the speed limit be considered since the building density has increased over the years? If a hooded turn lane were installed : * Fire trucks responding to a fire on Fallkirk Court or Applecross Court would have to enter through the Turnberry entrance and then drive all the way around to those locations. You have stated that fire trucks having to slow down for speed humps as a reason for not installing them. Does the same logic not apply for adding a hooded turn lane which would significantly increase the response time? * Homeowners who would normally exit on Fallkirk, would have to drive around to the Turnberry entrance to exit. They would then have the same risk crossing the high volume of southbound traffic to get to the median to go northbound. It would also be particularly disturbing to the residents on Fallkirk Court and Applecross Court. * You would probably then have a large number of people exiting the Fallkirk entrance, go southbound and then pull a u-turn at the median by the Turnberry entrance. * It would exacerbate the speeding problem that we already have in our neighborhood, especially in areas where you are unwilling to consider additional speed humps like Kilbridge and Turnberry Lane. I appreciate you “thinking outside the box” and considering a hooded turn lane. In this location, however, I do not think it would be appropriate. Regards, Phil LaBerge ________________________________ From: cavalaire@hotmail.com To: gmarshall@coppelltx.gov CC: board@coppellgreens.com; kgriffin@coppelltx.gov; cphillips@coppelltx.gov; citycouncil@coppelltx.gov Subject: Coppell Greens - Traffic Light Needed at Denton Tap & Fallkirk Drive Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2012 17:56:40 -0500 June 7, 2012 Mr. Marshall, I would like to start off this e-mail by telling you that I greatly appreciate what the Coppell Engineering Department does for our City. Coppell is a great place to live and your department is one of the many reasons why. I appreciate you returning my phone call today regarding placing a traffic light at the entrance to Coppell Greens at Denton Tap and Fallkirk Drive. The following are some details on what has transpired so far for the benefit of everyone copied on this e-mail: * Back in September, 2007, I first contacted Keith Marvin about the accidents that we have had at that intersection and the need for a traffic light. We have had a school bus accident, multiple car accidents, a motor cycle accident and many, many near misses. I personally have been in a couple of the near misses and I am a very safe drive. * In March, 2008, Keith called me back and said: o Two of the three traffic counters that were put down at the intersection did clearly justify the need for a light; o He discussed the info with Ken Griffin who said that he wanted to re-evaluate the issue after the light at Highland Drive (for the Market Street development) is installed and operating for a while to see if it slows down traffic. * In 5/28/2008 I sent an e-mail to Clay Phillips asking for his assistance on this issue. * On 1/14/2009, we had another bad accident which I informed Clay about. He said he would dig into the matter. * On 1/20/2010, I met with Keith Marvin and asked if, now that the Highland Drive traffic has been installed and operating, they could do another traffic study. He said they would do it, but it never happened. * On 11/15/2011, I again asked Keith Marvin and Ken Griffin if they could do the traffic study now that the light has been in for over a year. * On 11/17/11 George Marshall replied back saying that he would look into it. * On the evening of 1/20/2012 we had another accident. I notified George Marshall. * On 1/30/2012 they finally put the traffic counters down. * On 3/20/12 I contacted George Marshall to see if anything had been done about the traffic light. He said that the study showed that a traffic light is warranted. He said the next steps were: o Contact Lewisville to discuss the intersection since the east side of Denton Tap is in Lewisville and the west side is in Coppell. He said that there has been some transition in the City of Lewisville Engineering Department. o Look into funding since it would cost about $180K. * On 6/7/2012 I again called George Marshall to find out if anything has been done. o He again mentioned the transition in the City of Lewisville but mentioned no attempt to setup a meeting and even begin to address the project. o He again mentioned the cost of the light being $180K at which point I told him, with regard to the Coppell portion, we could * Petition our homeowners in Coppell Greens to draw that amount from our existing reserves, or * Find funding from other sources, or me fund it personally. After almost 5 years trying to get something to happen, I am becoming very frustrated that no meeting has been setup with Lewisville, this issue is not getting addressed, and it is going to just drag on until we have a fatality at that intersection. The failure to address this issue in a timely manner is having a direct impact on the safety of the residents of Coppell Greens. I have informed the City Council, the City Manager and the Mayor about this issue. I am also meeting with the Mayor of Lewisville, Dean Ueckert and as well as Denton County Commissioner, Bobbie Mitchell. Your assistance in moving this project forward would be greatly appreciated. I can be reached at: 972-899-1667 or cavalaire@hotmail.com <mailto:cavalaire@hotmail.com> if you have any questions. Sincerely, Phil LaBerge Coppell Greens HOA President www.coppellgreens.com <http://www.coppellgreens.com/> ld probably then have a large number of people exiting the Fallkirk entrance, go southbound and then pull a u-turn at the median by the Turnberry entrance. * It would exacerbate the speeding problem that we already have in our neighborhood, especially in areas where you are unwilling to consider additional speed humps like Kilbridge and Turnberry Lane. I appreciate you “thinking outside the box” and considering a hooded turn lane. In this location, however, I do not think it would be appropriate. Regards, Phil LaBerge ________________________________ From: cavalaire@hotmail.com To: gmarshall@coppelltx.gov CC: board@coppellgreens.com; kgriffin@coppelltx.gov; cphillips@coppelltx.gov; citycouncil@coppelltx.gov Subject: Coppell Greens - Traffic Light Needed at Denton Tap & Fallkirk Drive Date: Thu, 7 Jun 2012 17:56:40 -0500 June 7, 2012 Mr. Marshall, I would like to start off this e-mail by telling you that I greatly appreciate what the Coppell Engineering Department does for our City. Coppell is a great place to live and your department is one of the many reasons why. I appreciate you returning my phone call today regarding placing a traffic light at the entrance to Coppell Greens at Denton Tap and Fallkirk Drive. The following are some details on what has transpired so far for the benefit of everyone copied on this e-mail: * Back in September, 2007, I first contacted Keith Marvin about the accidents that we have had at that intersection and the need for a traffic light. We have had a school bus accident, multiple car accidents, a motor cycle accident and many, many near misses. I personally have been in a couple of the near misses and I am a very safe drive. * In March, 2008, Keith called me back and said: o Two of the three traffic counters that were put down at the intersection did clearly justify the need for a light; o He discussed the info with Ken Griffin who said that he wanted to re-evaluate the issue after the light at Highland Drive (for the Market Street development) is installed and operating for a while to see if it slows down traffic. * In 5/28/2008 I sent an e-mail to Clay Phillips asking for his assistance on this issue. * On 1/14/2009, we had another bad accident which I informed Clay about. He said he would dig into the matter. * On 1/20/2010, I met with Keith Marvin and asked if, now that the Highland Drive traffic has been installed and operating, they could do another traffic study. He said they would do it, but it never happened. * On 11/15/2011, I again asked Keith Marvin and Ken Griffin if they could do the traffic study now that the light has been in for over a year. * On 11/17/11 George Marshall replied back saying that he would look into it. * On the evening of 1/20/2012 we had another accident. I notified George Marshall. * On 1/30/2012 they finally put the traffic counters down. * On 3/20/12 I contacted George Marshall to see if anything had been done about the traffic light. He said that the study showed that a traffic light is warranted. He said the next steps were: o Contact Lewisville to discuss the intersection since the east side of Denton Tap is in Lewisville and the west side is in Coppell. He said that there has been some transition in the City of Lewisville Engineering Department. o Look into funding since it would cost about $180K. * On 6/7/2012 I again called George Marshall to find out if anything has been done. o He again mentioned the transition in the City of Lewisville but mentioned no attempt to setup a meeting and even begin to address the project. o He again mentioned the cost of the light being $180K at which point I told him, with regard to the Coppell portion, we could * Petition our homeowners in Coppell Greens to draw that amount from our existing reserves, or * Find funding from other sources, or me fund it personally. After almost 5 years trying to get something to happen, I am becoming very frustrated that no meeting has been setup with Lewisville, this issue is not getting addressed, and it is going to just drag on until we have a fatality at that intersection. The failure to address this issue in a timely manner is having a direct impact on the safety of the residents of Coppell Greens. I have informed the City Council, the City Manager and the Mayor about this issue. I am also meeting with the Mayor of Lewisville, Dean Ueckert and as well as Denton County Commissioner, Bobbie Mitchell. Your assistance in moving this project forward would be greatly appreciated. I can be reached at: 972-899-1667 or cavalaire@hotmail.com <mailto:cavalaire@hotmail.com> if you have any questions. Sincerely, Phil LaBerge Coppell Greens HOA President www.coppellgreens.com <http://www.coppellgreens.com/>