2022-011 Draft 2022 Mobility PlanDate: February 11, 2022 Report No. 2022-011
INFORMAL STAFF REPORT
TO MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL
SUBJECT:
Draft 2022 Mobility Plan Updates based on feedback received from City Council and Planning
and Zoning Commission February 8 and 9, 2022
BACKGROUND:
The City of Denton Capital Projects/Engineering Department has been working with
Development Services and the Parks and Recreation Department to make updates to the Draft 2022
Mobility Plan in concert with the Comprehensive Plan Denton 2040 and the Denton Parks,
Recreation, and Trails Master Plan. The 2022 Mobility Plan presents a holistic, multimodal
approach that serves as a combined thoroughfare, bicycle, and pedestrian master plan.
On May 7, 2019, the City of Denton entered into a contract with Walter P. Moore to complete
necessary updates to the 2022 Mobility Plan. Since efforts to update the Mobility Plan were
initiated, there have been several opportunities for public comment including four in-person
public meetings held from July 2019 through September 2019 with a specific focus group in
September 2019 on the bicycle and pedestrian aspects of the plan. Additionally, five City Council
Work Sessions were held from December 2019 through March 2020 and five virtual public
meetings were hosted from September 2020 through October 2020. The City received 384
responses from July 18, 2019, through October 11, 2019, and 287 responses from March 1, 2020,
through October 30, 2020. Recently, the public had an opportunity to provide Mobility Plan
feedback at the Comprehensive Plan Denton Plan 2040 Open House held on September 16, 2021.
Residents also have the opportunity to provide feedback on the Comprehensive Plan, Mobility
Plan, and Parks, Recreation, and Trails Master Plan through September 30, 2021, on the City’s
website. To date, the following themes have been received from public comments:
▪ Focus on a Multimodal Approach (Complete Streets)
▪ Ensure Access and Promote Safety for Bicyclists and Pedestrians
▪ Address Maintenance and Operations
▪ Consider Future Development to Inform the Plan
▪ Coordinate with future Texas Department of Transportation Roads
▪ Confirm appropriate Road Classifications (Arterial vs. Collector)
▪ Ensure Consistency with Comprehensive Plan Denton Plan 2040
On September 28, 2021, City staff presented an update to the City Council on the progress made
on the Draft 2022 Mobility Plan. Since that time staff completed the updates to the Draft 2022 Mobility Plan by addressing public comments received, coordinating changes based on recent
development and capital improvement projects, and working internally with City departments, including the evaluation of the land use assumptions as part of the Comprehensive Plan Denton
2040. City staff also presented the Draft 2022 Mobility Plan to the Planning and Zoning
Commission on January 12, 2022, and February 9, 2022, and to City Council on January 25,
Date: February 11, 2022 Report No. 2022-011
2022, and February 8, 2022. Staff received several comments throughout presentations and wish
to address four items heard over the last week and how they have been addressed.
DISCUSSION:
Staff was made aware of four items during the meetings held on February 8 and 9 with City Council
and Planning and Zoning Commission. Staff took the opportunity to go back to the Draft 2022
Mobility Plan and address the comments received. The changes made regarding the four major
themes of comments received were as follows:
Goal #1 (formerly Goal #7) being rewritten to include language in alignment with making
Safety the highest priority of the Mobility Plan
Evaluation and modification of the roadway classifications in the Northeastern quadrant of
the City
High-level discussion related to Southeast Denton roadway classifications
High-level discussion related to the roadway classifications for the Southwest quadrant of
the City
Goal #1 has been rewritten based on feedback received to include language in alignment with
explaining the importance of safety by using more aggressive and proactive verbiage. Detailed
below is the updated version of Goal #1 Safety First, which includes rewording and ordering of
the Objectives and Strategies. Key points to mention are the updates with the new wording to
include the following:
Number one priority for the planning, design, and maintenance of all transportation
infrastructure
Design, evaluate, operate, and enforce for safe speeds
Acknowledge vulnerability of non-auto users and prioritize safety through design,
evaluation, and operation of transportation infrastructure
Minimize the safety risks of highways and arterials by managing speed
Date: February 11, 2022 Report No. 2022-011
The next change made based on the comments received was to evaluate and modify the
classification of the roadways in the Northeastern quadrant of the City by reviewing the 2015
Mobility Plan, data collected, and future land use assumptions in the area. After further review,
as you can see below in the map, the changes were made to make Collins Road from a secondary
arterial to a collector, reclassify Cooper Creek Road from a primary arterial to a secondary arterial,
and finally to change the former integrated corridor from a TxDOT roadway and possible freeway
to a primary arterial that will be coordinated in conjunction with the County. Staff believes these
modifications, based on the land use assumptions in this area, should address the concerns and
questions raised by the City Council and allow for the best decisions to be made to date based on
Date: February 11, 2022 Report No. 2022-011
the information known. These changes can be seen in the areas that are highlighted on the Revised
Draft 2022 Mobility Plan map.
The following two comments received directly relate to taking a deeper dive to review the
Southeast Denton area of town, the existing roadway classifications, and the Southwestern
quadrant of town, where many changes are planned based on the Hunter and Cole Ranch Master
Planned Communities. Staff will continue to look for ways to improve or reconstruct the roadway
network within Southeast Denton, based on the roadway designation as most of the roadways in
this area are existing. Staff is also working very closely with the Hunter and Cole Ranch
developments to amend and review as necessary the roadway network within the communities
and, as shown on the map, included removing a couple that are red highlighted from the map.
Date: February 11, 2022 Report No. 2022-011
Southeast Denton
Southwest Denton
Date: February 11, 2022 Report No. 2022-011
Staff appreciates all the feedback received and looks forward to addressing these updates and
moving forward with the Public Hearing and adoption March 1, 2022. After the adoption of the
2022 Mobility Plan, Staff will begin the next steps to adopt the Roadway Impact Fee Ordinance.
Staff will also move forward with further discussion on the Vision Zero Plan and the Citywide
Speed Study.
STAFF CONTACTS:
Rebecca Diviney, PE, Director of Capital Projects/City Engineer
Nathan George, Senior Planner – Bicycle Pedestrian and ADA Coordinator
Pritam Deshmukh, PE, Transportation Planning
REQUESTOR:
Staff Initiated