FM asks TxDOT to close rest stop on 35W

[admin]

Flower Mound is asking TxDOT to shut down the rest stop on I-35W near FM 407. Town officials say the rest stop has become a breeding ground for crime: www.pegasusnews.com/news/2009/aug/15/fl ... op-35w-ne/

[Uther]

So no list of crimes recently committed by people using the rest stop? We should just take Flowe Mound's word for it?

[Mrs T]

Why can't city governments just be honest? This request has everything to do with Flower Mound's Denton Creek District future development plans. FM annexed that little piece of highway frontage in 1999, but their only access point at the highway is hindered by the roadside park. Take a look at the FM thoroughfare plan, no park, just service road and a connecting arterial street. At status quo TXDot would require an overpass (that they won't pay for).

From a March 2008 transportation board meeting: "On the west side of Town, the bridge portion of the Denton Creek Spine Road, as well as the diamond interchange portion is another project. A proposed development has committed to build the roadway portion of the Denton Creek Spine Road but not the bridge or the Diamond. The project does not reach to the diamond at this point. Chairman Stone asked about the diamond interchange at I35...There is a narrow window where an interchange can be located. It has to follow federal spacing guidelines, and it is in TxDOT’s right-of-way; a rest stop is currently at that location."

FM updated its strategic goals in February of this year with "Removal of Rest Stop on I-35W" listed as 'important to begin or continue' with an estimated completion of 2010."

I don't have a personal reason for preserving the roadside park (although it is usually nicely maintained and heavily used). What I do care about is the misleading statements made by the police - and, most likely, the reasons behind them. Why use the police department to achieve your town's development goals?

If providing police protection to their westernmost border 'spreads their force too thin', what do they plan to do when they have big box stores and housing on the site? The rest stop hasn't been there for over thirty years, much less the 'half a century' the speaker claims as to when the stop was useful. The highway wasn't completed until 1967! Either their crime reporting and mapping tool is inaccurate or their 800 calls to the site did not lead to any charges, I found ONE 'single theft' in November 2007 for that area. I am curious as to the types of calls made in the 800 quoted. Sure, they mention scary stuff like prostitutes and drugs in the article, but since it is the only rest stop between Ft Worth and Denton, isn't it possible that people pull off there with car trouble or to report some driving-related incident? 800 calls since April 2002 is one every 3+ days, and apparently all but one of those was prior to October 2005 (that's as far back as their online reports go).

I have to admit, this may be a successful strategy. Claim a crime issue, so even if one doesn't exist, you have scared everyone away and you can use the 'seldom used and obsolete' argument.

[Uther]

Kudos. Great sane response. Flower Mound is pretty much unethical when it comes to annexing and expanding their little fiefdom.

[slider701]

I am curious as to the types of calls made in the 800 quoted. Sure, they mention scary stuff like prostitutes and drugs in the article, but since it is the only rest stop between Ft Worth and Denton, isn't it possible that people pull off there with car trouble or to report some driving-related incident? 800 calls since April 2002 is one every 3+ days, and apparently all but one of those was prior to October 2005 (that's as far back as their online reports go).

I've made three 911 in that area in the last year or so..........all of them for cows outside the fence line. No kidding...........cows just walking down the side of the freeway. Funny thing is that it wasn't a surprise to the 911 operator.

911 Operator - "Denton County Sheriff.......how may I help you?

me - "There is a cow walking down the side of the freeway on I-35 just south of 407"

911 Operator - "Is it a black cow?"

Me - "Yea........but does it really matter what color it is?"

911 Operator - "yea.......we already got a few calls on it"

I guess this is why I love Texas so much over living up in Detroit.........the crime report is about loose cows, chickens outside someone's window scaring them, a couple kids making out in the back of a car behind a school, and your occasional drunk driver.

On a separate note what is all of the moving dirt and clearing land on 407 just before you get to I-35 but past the water supply buildings??

[Common Sense Al]

I have to admit, this may be a successful strategy. Claim a crime issue, so even if one doesn't exist, you have scared everyone away and you can use the 'seldom used and obsolete' argument.

Scare tactics are often a successful strategy... used all the time (like now in a certain major political area)!

[admin]

On a separate note what is all of the moving dirt and clearing land on 407 just before you get to I-35 but past the water supply buildings??

www.lantanalinks.com/news.htm#Denkmann

[stonewall]

According to my friends in law enforcement this rest stop is commonly referred to as “pickle park”. I personally couldn’t care less what the city of FM does, however the homosexual community has rights. We should be very careful so as not to upset them. The “Pink Mafia” will make your life miserable

[slider701]

Like the movie "Something about Mary"

http://www.movieweb.com/video/HUhoWnhpclVVli