Richardson City Council Work Session April 3rd, 2023

All councilmembers are present as well as City Manager Don Magner and City Secretary Aimee Nemer.

No public speakers come forward.

The first item is a proclamation in recognition of city staff for Records Management month.

Next is a report on the U.S. 75 HOV-Technology Lanes project. Ceason Clemens, TxDOT’s Dallas District Engineer, begins the presentation. She begins by highlighting TxDOT’s End the Streak campaign. This is a public information campaign that aims to end the streak of daily deaths on Texas roads. The last day Texas went without a death on the roadway, according to the campaign, was November 7^th, 2000. The scope of this Technology Lanes project will range from I-635 to Sam Rayburn Tollway. One of the goals of the project will be to allow access in and out of the current HOV lanes by removing the existing pylons. New lighting will also be installed along U.S. 75. Once the new technology lanes are set up, they will be regulated by dynamic signage with the intent of allowing single-occupant vehicles access outside of designated peak hours. During peak hours, the lanes will still be restricted to only high-occupancy vehicles, low-emission vehicles, and motorcycles. This essentially adds a general-purpose lane for 22 hours of the day. The project is expected to be completed in 2026. Michael Morris, Transportation Director for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, continues the presentation. Most of this project will be federally funded. Michael explains that another component of this project is a pilot program for traffic management centers to be able to adjust signal timing on frontage roads in response to real-time conditions on the highway. Councilman Hutchenrider asks if there will be any toll charged for use of the HOV lanes during peak times. The presenters answer that there will be no toll charged. Michael further clarifies that there is no current enforcement component planned for the use of the lanes. They will monitor traffic patterns in the lanes to analyze the impact of this change. Michael also highlights the potential positive impact that increased efficiency in the lanes will have on air quality, since vehicles will hopefully stagnate less.

Next, Parks Director Lori Smeby presents the plans for Richardson’s 150^th Anniversary celebration. One of the components of the celebration will be putting items into a time capsule to be opened in 2073. The city is asking for residents to submit their ideas for items to be included in the time capsule to the following email address: richardson150th@cor.gov . Saturday, June 24^th is the scheduled day of the celebration. The events will take place at Main Street Plaza in the CORE District from approximately 10:00 AM – 2:45 PM.

Danea Newman, Richardson’s newest Environmental Health Manager, then presents the plan for this year’s annual Trash Bash event. This event is scheduled for April 15^th and will include multiple activities taking place throughout the city from about 9 AM – 1 PM. The first event of the day will be a litter clean-up from 9 – 11 AM. Groups may sign up with the city to pick up litter from a designated area. The city will provide trash bags, trash pickers, and other cleaning utensils to groups who sign up. A used book/CD/magazine recycling collection will take place from 9 AM – 1 PM on the west end of the civic center campus. At the First United Methodist Church of Richardson, the following collections will take place from 9 AM – 1 PM: food & personal care item donations for the Network of Community Ministries, used cooking oil collection, and eyeglasses collection. A compost and mulch giveaway will also be taking place at this site. At the former Richardson Square Mall (201 S Plano Rd.), electronics recycling and document shredding will be available. The city also allows groups to conduct litter clean-ups throughout the year with their Community & Corporate Environmental Clean-Up Program. (JN: So, who wants to get a group together to clean up some creeks?)

Council discusses various events they attended throughout the week, and the meetings adjourns.