At the affected intersections, drivers wanting to turn left would instead turn right and then use a U-turn in the median to head back in the intended direction.
These new turns would extend the length of green lights along Loop 360, eliminate some left turns and prevent drivers from crossing Loop 360 at certain intersections, TxDOT spokesman John Hurt said. They would also reduce southbound travel time on Loop 360 between US 183 and Spicewood Springs Road by 29 percent to 33 percent, and northbound travel by 13 percent to 19 percent.
But some residents who live along Loop 360 wonder if the proposed changes would actually improve rush hour congestion.
“It’s adding more traffic to 360 with their plan, adding more lights to 360 with their plan,” said Mike Currens, president of the Lakewood Homeowners Association, which comprises the area northwest of Lakewood Drive and Loop 360. “[TxDOT’s] argument is that we do not understand it and that we will learn to adapt.”
The department said it had looked at other solutions to reduce traffic, such as converting Loop 360 into a toll road or a freeway with overpasses, but the modified Michigan left turn seemed like the best choice.
“The other options we felt would be unacceptable to residents in the area,” Hurt said. “The controlled access highway or overpasses at every intersection, that would have really marred the way it looks.”
Hurt said the proposal is not final and that if residents do not support the changes, TxDOT would consider alternatives.
Increasing flow on Loop 360
TxDOT began seeking solutions to improve traffic flow on Loop 360 several years ago because residential development near the scenic route had increased the amount of travelers using the corridor, particularly during rush hour. According to the department, about 45,000 vehicles travel Loop 360 daily.
A year ago, TxDOT hired consulting firm IS Engineers, based in Sugar Land, to draw up schematics of the Michigan left turn.
The project, tagged with an estimated cost of $15 million to $20 million, was recently selected to receive $6 million in Category 12 funds, which are reserved for state highways that are deemed a strategic priority, and another $5.3 million will come from TxDOT’s Proposition 12 bonds. The source of the remaining dollars has yet to be pinpointed, Hurt said.
Latest Comments