Dear Charlie Geren - PLEASE HELP! TXDOT is trashing our neighborhood!

5/8/2015 UPDATE:  TXDOT says they will have the site cleared by "mid-Summer."  TXDOT said they wanted to continue using the site on a "temporary basis."  The neighborhood clearly communicated to TXDOT, Charlie Geren's office, and Dennis Shingleton's office that the neighborhood will vigorously oppose any further industrial use of the site - whether the use is permanent or "temporary."

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Over the past decade, the neighbors around Lake Worth have put enormous effort into revitalizing the area.  Things we have accomplished: $20m dredging of the lake, $80m water and sewer projects, $18m bicycle trails around the lake (underway), numerous park improvements.

One historic park, Love Circle Park, has been the focus of enormous effort.  Eight years ago, the park looked derelict.  Over that time, we have cleaned the park of debris and planted 200 trees.  A jogging trail is scheduled to be installed in 2016.

However, during that time, TXDOT has increasingly used the highway easement adjacent to the park as an industrial staging area.  TXDOT's activity is undermining our neighborhood's efforts at revitalization.  The TXDOT mess on the highway communicates to the public that no one cares about the neighborhood.  This is not true.

We now respectfully ask the Honorable Representative Charlie Geren for help.  We ask that he instruct TXDOT to cease from using our neighborhood as a staging ground.  Remove the equipment.  Remove the gravel. Remove the barriers.  Return our neighborhood to us.  With all due respect to TXDOT and its important functions, this is our neighborhood. We care about it.

Above, I have included a video.  Below, I have a map with the TXDOT area circled in red and pictures of the mess.  (The area is just west of where Jacksboro Highway crosses Lake Worth.) As you can see, when the satellite picture was taken, there were only a couple of objects there.  Today, the area now looks like a full blown industrial site.  Not only is this area in a neighborhood, it represents the "Gateway to Lake Worth."  With 50,000 people going by this each day, this area creates the impression most people have of the lake area.   This mess is the first impression for anyone visiting the lake or the the Fort Worth Nature Center.










Here is beautiful Love Circle Park, just behind the TXDOT mess.









2 comments:

Mark Walter said...

That Area USED TO BE FILLED W/ beautiful wildflowers- what a waste!

Michael Dallas said...

I spoke with TXDOT today. They assure me that they will have the stuff moved by "mid-Summer." However, she said that TXDOT wants to continue using the site. I clearly stated that we would vigorously oppose any further use of the site.

Here are my follow up emails.

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Follow up letter to Dennis Shingleton's office:

(Thank you for your help)... please convey to the councilman that from this point forward, the shoreline community will aggressively oppose any further industrial use of this site on the shoreline of Lake Worth - whether "temporary" or permanent. We appreciate TXDOT's important mission and have complete faith that its incredibly smart staff can accomplish their goals without having to derail our revitalization efforts by using that site.

I understand that the jurisdiction of the site is the State of Texas and not the City of Fort Worth. Nevertheless, I have complete confidence that the councilman can aid us communicating our efforts.

Thank you for your help and support on this issue.

Sincerely,

Michael Dallas

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Follow up letter to Charlie Geren's office:

I was happy to hear that TXDOT will have the stuff moved by "mid-Summer." However, she also said that TXDOT wanted to use the site during the winter as a "temporary location." I said that site is no longer acceptable for any industrial work - permanent or temporary. Storing rocks, salt, and other material, and tearing up the ground into an unsightly mess defeats our decade long efforts in revitalizing the Lake Worth area. That location is key. It is the gateway to the Lake Worth area.

From this point forward, we will aggressively and vigorously oppose any further industrial use of the site whether permanent or temporary. The site in question will eventually have a freeway over it. When that site is no longer available, I am confident that TXDOT will still be able to find other locations to accomplish its mission. TXDOT needs to find those other locations now. This site is no longer acceptable for that type of use.

Please convey my comments to Mr. Geren and TXDOT.

Sincerely,

Michael Dallas