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WELCOME TO WHAT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
I'M GEORGIA CLEMSON, AND WE HAVE A SPECIAL EDITION SHOW TODAY WITH TWO EXCITING GUESTS.
WE'RE SO EXCITED TO HAVE MAYOR RON JENSEN WITH US.
AND WE HAVE MICHAEL MORRIS, GEORGIA.
AND I KNOW OUR, UH, GUEST AND VIEWERS ARE SAYING, WELL, WE KNOW MAYOR JENSEN, BUT WE HAVEN'T MET MICHAEL MORRIS FORMALLY ON THIS SHOW BEFORE.
SO THIS IS GOING TO BE A VERY EXCITING SHOW.
MAYOR, WHY DON'T YOU TELL US WHERE MICHAEL MORRIS IS FROM AND YOUR CONNECTION WITH HIM? WELL, I WAS ELECTED TO THE COUNCIL IN 2002, AND WHEN I GOT ELECTED, CHARLIE WASN'T MANY TIMES THE MAYORS ARE ON THE RTC.
UH, HE, HE WOULD WANT TO GET OUT OF TOWN ON THURSDAYS, AND WE MEET ON THURSDAYS.
AND, UH, MR. ENGLER WAS ON THE RTC AND, UH, WHEN HE GOT BEAT IN THE ELECTION, UH, GOOD AFTERNOON, ONE OR TWO YEARS, I THINK THE NEXT YEAR AFTER I GOT ON THE, UH, COUNCIL, UH, CHARLIE TAGGED ME TO BE ON THE RTC ALL THE WAY BACK IN, I THINK 2003 OR 2004.
WELL, MICHAEL IS OUR DIRECTOR OVER THERE, THE MPO, UH, METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION AND THE RTC.
SO THAT'S WHEN I FIRST MET MICHAEL AT THE RTC.
AND, AND THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS YOU AND I WANT HIM TO DO TODAY IS KIND OF GIVE A HIGH LEVEL INTRO AND EXPLANATION OF WHAT A METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION IS AND WHAT THE RTC IS.
AND SO I, THAT'S ONE OF THE AREAS YOU AND I WANT HIM TO COVER TODAY.
SO I'VE KNOWN MICHAEL SINCE PROBABLY 2003 OR 2004.
AND MR. MORRIS, I'VE SEEN YOU IN ACTION FROM A DISTANCE, BUT ACTUALLY GETTING TO SERVE WITH YOU ON THE COG BOARD HAS BEEN SUCH A PLEASURE BECAUSE IN MY OPINION, YOU ARE THE GURU OF TRANSPORTATION IN OUR NORTH TEXAS REGION AND PROBABLY BEYOND.
AND, UH, BEEN, IT'S BEEN, UH, REALLY A BLESSING TO GET TO SEE YOU IN ACTION AND WHAT ALL YOU DO FOR OUR REGION, AND ESPECIALLY SPECIFICALLY FOR GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO WE'RE GLAD YOU'RE HERE AND WE WANNA HEAR WHAT'S GOING ON WITH TRANSPORTATION IN OUR AREA.
WELL, GEORGIA, IT'S VERY NICE TO BE WITH YOU AND THANK YOU BOTH FOR YOUR PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, I'M A FOUR, FOUR DECADE PUBLIC SERVANT.
UH, I BELIEVE IN PUBLIC SERVICE.
UH, UH, OUR FAMILY MOVED HERE, UH, WHEN I GRADUATED FROM GRADUATE SCHOOL.
UM, AND IT'S REALLY COOL TO HAVE BOTH A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, THE COG EXECUTIVE BOARD, AND A MEMBER OF THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL TO EXPLAIN WHAT WE DO.
SO BACK IN THE SEVENTIES, UH, STATES WERE DOING A REASONABLE JOB BUILDING THE NATIONAL INTERSTATE HIGHWAY SYSTEM BETWEEN URBAN REGIONS.
BUT WHEN IT GOT INTO URBAN REGIONS, IT GOT REALLY, REALLY COMPLICATED.
AND CONGRESS WISHED TO ESTABLISH A GROUP OF LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS, UM, MEMBERS OF THE METROPOLITAN PLANNING ORGANIZATION IN OUR, IN OUR REGION'S CALLED THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL TO, TO FOCUS ON GETTING THESE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS BUILT WITHIN THESE URBAN REGIONS.
BECAUSE THESE URBAN REGIONS, THE TOP 30 URBAN REGIONS IN THE UNITED STATES PRODUCE 80% OF THE GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT OF THE COUNTRY.
SO CONGRESS WHO WISHES TO HAVE A SUCCESSFUL UNITED STATES PICKED UP VERY EARLY.
WE NEED TO GET THE ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE, UM, LASER FOCUSED ON GETTING TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS DONE IN OFTEN VERY IMAGINATIVE FASHIONS, UH, VERY INNOVATIVE FUNDING, VERY OFTEN USING COMBINATIONS OF FUNDING SOURCES OR, OR TECHNOLOGY.
UM, SO I GET PAID IN FEDERAL FUNDS.
SO WHEN YOU FILL UP YOUR CAR AND GASOLINE, THAT GASOLINE TAX FUNDS OUR STAFF TO EXPEDITE TEAR DOWN SILOS, THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX AND FAST TRACK TRANSPORTATION INVESTMENTS IN THE REGION.
WE ARE, WE ARE ASSOCIATED WITH THE NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL GOVERNMENTS.
I'M A NORTH CENTRAL TEXAS COUNCIL GOVERNMENTS EMPLOYEE.
SO WHEN WE, WE MAKE A DECISION LIKE TO FUND A MAJOR FREEWAY, THOSE FUNDS GO, UH, DIRECTLY TO SAY THE TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION, OR THEY'LL GO TO THE CITY OF GRAND PRAIRIE OR THEY'LL GO TO DALLAS COUNTY.
SOMETIMES THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL WISHES US
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TO IMPLEMENT, UH, FOR EXAMPLE, WE HAVE 6,000 TRAFFIC SIGNALS IN THE REGION.THE RTC WANTS THEM TO BE CONSTANTLY UPDATED, UH, AS PART OF THAT PROCESS.
SO YOU, AS A MEMBER OF THE EXECUTIVE BOARD, WE BRING THE ITEM TO YOU AND SAY, HEY, THE RTC IN THIS CASE WISHES US OUR STAFF TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM.
AND YOU ARE WHAT WE CALL OUR FIDUCIARY AGENT.
YOU'RE, YOU'RE OUR BANKER, UH, YOU DO THE BUSINESS TRANSACTIONS FOR OUR DEPARTMENT THAT COME TO YOU FROM THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL.
THE OTHER COOL THING AT THE COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS IS THERE'S EIGHT OR SO DEPARTMENTS.
SO IT'S REALLY NICE WHERE I DON'T HAVE TO CALL SOME OTHER AGENCY IF I WANT TO DEAL WITH EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS.
WE HAVE AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS DEPARTMENT, OR IF I WISH TO DO SOMETHING ON STORMWATER, WE HAVE AN ENVIRONMENTAL DEPARTMENT THAT DOES STORMWATER.
SO IT'S A MULTIFUNCTIONAL COUNCIL OF GOVERNMENTS UNDER STATE LAW.
WERE BACK IN 1966, THE STATE OF TEXAS SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, WE'RE GONNA AGGREGATE THESE LOCAL GOVERNMENTS IN EVERY PART OF THE STATE SO THEY CAN GO AND HAVE A TECHNICAL RESOURCE, AN EXTENSION OF THEIR STAFF TO BRAINSTORM 'EM, WHATEVER OUR, OUR LOCAL GOVERNMENTS NEED.
HAVE IT BE CITIES, HAVE IT BE COUNTIES OR SCHOOL DISTRICTS.
SO IT'S REALLY NICE TO WAKE UP AND SOME DAYS I'M IMPLEMENTING A FEDERAL PROCESS TO, TO FIGURE OUT WITH GRAND PRAIRIE HOW TO EXPEDITE 1 61.
AND THEN OTHER DAYS I'M WORKING WITH MY COLLEAGUES ON AN EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS PLAN, UH, TO HELP FACILITATE OUR, UH, POLICE OFFICERS AND, AND FIRST RESPONDERS WITH REGARD TO HOW THEY CAN HELP LOCAL GOVERNMENTS.
SO A VERY BROAD SPECTRUM OF, UM, THINGS GOING ON AT RTCN COG.
NOW, MAYOR, WHAT DO YOU THINK HAS BEEN ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT TRANSPORTATION ISSUES THAT HAS COME THROUGH COG OR RTC RECENTLY? WELL, THE MOST IMPORTANT FOR GRAND PRAIRIE WAS THE GEORGE BUSH TURNPIKE.
UM, 1 61 WAS SUPPOSED TO HAVE BEEN BUILT MANY, MANY, MANY YEARS AGO, AND THERE'S A LAWSUIT FILED, UH, FOR IT.
ENVIRONMENTAL STUDIES WERE DONE.
AND IT FINALLY, IT FINALLY GOT APPROVED.
BUT HOW DO YOU PAY FOR IT? AND THAT'S WHEN THE NEGOTIATION STARTED.
IT, UH, WHERE DO WE GET THE FUNDING? AND THE, THE CITIES, US IRVING EVEN, UH, OUR NEIGHBORING CITIES HAD TO BUY INTO, ALLOW IT TO BE A TOLL ROAD.
AND THEN IT ALSO HIT A SNAG BECAUSE AT THAT SAME TIME, THE TRANS TEXAS CORRIDOR WAS GOING THROUGH AUSTIN AND THEY HAD PUT A HOLD ON THAT, AND WE'RE GONNA STOP IT.
SO MAYOR INLAND AND I AND TOM HART HAD TO GO TO AUSTIN AND, AND GET WITH OUR SENATOR AND SAY, WE GOTTA, WE GOTTA GRANDFATHER US.
I MEAN, THERE WAS A LOT OF BEHIND THE SCENES THINGS THAT HAD TO HAPPEN TO GET THE GEORGE BUS TURNPIKE THROUGH GRAND PRAIRIE.
HAD THE GEORGE BUS TURNPIKE NOT GONE THROUGH, UH, WE WOULDN'T HAVE THE EPIC, EPIC WATERS.
SO AS MICHAEL AND I KNOW TRANSPORTATION, ONE OF THE THINGS WE USE TRANSPORTATION FOR IS TO GET ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT.
WE DON'T KNOW IF IT'S EVER GONNA COME, BUT IT AIN'T GONNA COME IF THE ROAD'S NOT THERE.
SO THAT'S THE MOST EXCITING THING THAT'S HAPPENED WHILE I'VE BEEN ON IT.
'CAUSE IT IMPACTED GRAND PRAIRIE.
NOW, MY GOODNESS, IF YOU TRAVEL IN NORTH DALLAS, I THINK, UH, ANOTHER HIGHLY INNOVATIVE PLAN WAS 6 35.
IF YOU RODE ON 6 35 YEARS AGO, ALL ONE LEVEL, YOU CAN'T GET ANYWHERE, ANYTIME.
WELL, MY GOODNESS, MICHAEL, WHAT Y'ALL DID TO GET THAT MULTI-LEVEL AND TO FIT IT IN, IT IS CRAZY.
AND PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THAT UNLESS THEY'VE DRIVEN IT.
THE OLD AND THE NEW, IT'S JUST FANTASTIC.
AND SO, UM, THE, THE, OF COURSE AGAIN, THE GEORGE BUSH FOR US, BUT NOW WE'RE LOOKING AT 360, UH, YOU KNOW, WE HAD TO WORK, WE HAD TO WORK WITH THE RTC TDOT NTTA TO GET THE 360.
WHAT, WHAT IS THERE NOW? THAT'S THE TOLL ROAD.
$300 MILLION, LOAN A BACKSTOP.
WELL SEE, PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT THE RTC HAD TO BE THE GUARANTOR FOR $300 MILLION.
WELL, THAT BENEFITS MY CITY, OUR CITY, MANSFIELD, ARLINGTON.
BUT THE WHOLE METRO, UH, RTC SUPPORTED IT.
HAD WE NOT DONE THAT BACKSTOP AND THAT BACKSTOPS BEEN RELIEVED RELEASED NOW.
BECAUSE THE TOLLS ARE DOING GOOD.
360 SO SUCCESSFUL, WE NO LONGER RATHER KNOW HAVING AS A NEXT STOP.
AND SO NOW WE'RE WORKING ON THE EXTENSION OF 360 DOWN TO 67 TO 67.
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THAT'S GONNA MEAN A LOT TO VENUS, US, MANSFIELD, MIDDLE OAN.SO THERE'S JUST SO MANY THINGS, UH, GOING ON.
BUT, UH, MICHAEL MORRIS, UH, MICHAEL TRULY IS, UH, THE BEST AT WHAT HE DOES.
UH, WHAT ARE THERE, MICHAEL FIVE MPOS IN TEXAS? NO, WE HAVE, WE HAVE, UH, THERE'S FIVE MAJOR FIVE MAJOR ONE MAJOR ONES.
ONES, BUT THE FIVE MAJOR ONES.
SO YOU HAVE HOUSTON AND DALLAS FORT WORTH AND AUSTIN.
THOSE ARE THE BIG, THOSE ARE THE BIG BOYS.
BUT GEORGIA, I THINK WHAT'S REALLY INTERESTING IS HOW THE RTC IS THE ADULT IN THE ROOM AND HOW YOU, ON THE EXECUTIVE BOARD IS THE ADULT IN THE ROOM.
SO, UH, THERE WAS A LAWSUIT TO BLOCK TXDOT TO BUILD 1 61.
THE ATTORNEY GENERAL COMES IN INTERVIEWS, TXDOT STAFF INTERVIEWS OUR STAFF.
OUR STAFF BECAME THE EXPERT WITNESSES, UH, TO GO BACK TO BAREFOOT SANDERS COURT TO RELIEVE THE INJUNCTION ON 1 61.
THE, UH, THE TXDOT HAD TO MAKE A CHOICE TO EITHER TAKE HOMES IN A LOWER INCOME NEIGHBORHOOD OR TO CLIP THE PARK.
UH, THAT'S RIGHT NEXT TO 1 61.
THEY ELECTED TO CLIP THE PARK.
UH, WE WERE ABLE TO, UH, COME IN AS EXPERTS AND SAY THAT WAS THE RIGHT DECISION TO NOT TAKE PEOPLE'S HOMES.
UH, BAREFOOT SANDERS AGREED TO IT.
NOW WE CAN PROCEED WITH THE PROJECT.
NOW TXDOT HAS NO MONEY TO BUILD THE PROJECT
SO NOW WE GOTTA SAY, OKAY, WELL THIS ISN'T FAIR TO GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO WE ASKED THE NORTH TEXAS TOLLWAY AUTHORITY TO DO IT.
AND THEN I SAID, WELL, IT'S NOT REALLY FAIR TO THE, TO THE RESIDENTS OF GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO WE CREATE, CREATED A PARTNERSHIP DEAL.
AND I'M NOT SURE GRAND PRAIRIE RESIDENTS EVER THINK OF HOW MATURE THEIR CONVERSATION REALLY IS.
'CAUSE THEY SEE INDIVIDUAL PROJECTS.
THEY DON'T DE DO SEE SYSTEMS. WE BUILD SYSTEMS. SO I WENT TO GRAND PRAIRIE AND I SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT, IF YOU WILL TAKE IT AS A USER FEED, USER FEED NTTA TOLL ROAD, THEN WE'LL GO TO THE RTC TO BUILD YOU CONTINUOUS FRONTAGE ROADS ON INTERSTATE 30 AND CONTINUOUS FRONTAGE ROADS ON INTERSTATE 20.
AND THAT'LL BE A, AN EQUITY PARTNERSHIP.
AND WE AS STAFF CREATED THIS INNOVATIVE SYSTEM THAT MADE IT EASIER FOR THE ELECTED OFFICIALS TO GO BACK AND SAY, YOU KNOW WHAT? AT LEAST WE GET 1 61.
YES, OUR USERS WILL PAY FOR TRAVELING ON THE MAIN LANES.
THE FRONTAGE ROADS WILL BE THERE.
THAT'LL CREATE AN ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITY.
AND OH, BY THE WAY, UH, YOU INHERITED A TOLL ROAD ON I 30 IN THE OLD DAYS.
SO THEREFORE IT DIDN'T HAVE FRONTAGE ROADS.
AND BY THE WAY, YOUR INTERSTATE 20 PROJECT WAS BUILT AT A TIME WHERE TECHSTAR COULDN'T AFFORD FRONTAGE ROADS ALONG INTERSTATE 20.
THE RTC GETS THE BENEFIT OF FRONTAGE ROADS.
SO WE CAN HAVE MORE RELIABLE FREEWAYS.
YOU GET THE BENEFIT OF CREATING OPPORTUNITIES FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO HELP YOUR TAX BASE TO LOWER OVER TIME.
YOU KNOW, THE IMPLICATION THIS WOULD HAVE, UH, WITH REGARD TO PROPERTY TAX AND OTHER THINGS IN YOUR COMMUNITY.
'CAUSE YOU WOULD'VE MORE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT HELPING TO PAY FOR THOSE SERVICES.
I THINK IT WAS A WONDERFUL PARTNERSHIP.
OH, WE, WE CALLED IT NEAR NEIGHBOR MONEY, I THINK IS WHAT TERM, NEAR NEIGHBOR, NEAR TIMEFRAME.
AND PEOPLE DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT WE WOULDN'T HAVE FRONTAGE ROADS TODAY ON THAT 20 OR I 30 STILL TODAY IF THAT HAD NOT BEEN WORKED OUT.
PART OF THE PARTNERSHIP BEING PART OF THE PARTNERSHIP DEAL TO, TO ACCEPT THE NTTA COMING THROUGH OUR CITY.
AND THEN WE, WE GO UP TO 6 35 NORTH.
THE NEIGHBORHOOD WAS VERY SKEPTICAL.
WE CREATED THIS POLICY CALLED NO HIGHER, NO WIDER.
AND IF YOU TRAVEL ON 6 35, YOU SEE A EXPRESS LANE AT THE BOTTOM AND CANTILEVERED FREEWAY LANES.
IT'S A EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD.
WE CREATED A, A PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PRIVATE SECTOR TO PAY FOR THAT.
THEY HAD SOME BRILLIANT OPPORTUNITIES AND BRILLIANT DESIGN IDEAS TO HELP US ON THAT PROJECT.
BUT WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU, WHEN YOU FOCUS ON THE OUTCOME OF THE PEOPLE AND THROW YOUR NAME BADGE AWAY AND CREATE PARTNERSHIPS TO TRY TO EXPEDITE BACK TO OUR, OUR CHARGES FROM CONGRESS AND YOUR RESPONSIBILITY ON THE RTC, YOU GOTTA THROW YOUR NAME BADGE AWAY AND CREATE INNOVATIVE WAYS TO EXPEDITE THE IMPLEMENTATION, THEN THE REGION WINS.
WE'RE GROWING AT A MILLION PEOPLE EVERY SEVEN YEARS AND HAVE FOR THREE DECADES.
WE GOTTA BUILD A LOT OF TRANSPORTATION TO KEEP UP WITH THAT.
NOW, THE, THE SCHOOL DISTRICTS HAVE TO BUILD A WHOLE BUNCH OF SCHOOLS.
CITIES HAVE TO DO SEWAGE TREATMENT.
WE ALL WORK AS A TEAM, BUT WE'RE WORKING HARD TO, TO BUILD INNOVATIVE TRANSPORTATION, TO KEEP UP WITH WHAT OUR REGION IS BEING ASKED FOR.
AND THAT'S TO HELP, UH, TEXAS GROW, UH, AS PART OF THE TEXAS MIRACLE COUNCIL MEMBER.
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CLEMSON, I THINK I, I, I JUST THOUGHT OF SOMETHING ELSE.AND THAT'S THE, UH, WHEN I WAS THE CHAIR OF, I WAS HONORED TO BE THE CHAIR OF THE RTC.
AND MICHAEL, WHILE I'M MENTIONING THAT, HOW, TELL OUR VIEWERS WHAT THE RTCS MADE UP OF.
SO YEAH, WE'RE UP TO, UH, WE'RE AT 45 5 INDIVIDUALS.
UM, THE TRANSPORTATION ENTITIES IN THE REGION HAVE VOTING RIGHTS.
SO TXDOT DISTRICTS ARE PARTNER OF THE TOLL ROAD AUTHORITY THAT WE JUST TALKED ABOUT, UH, DFW AIRPORT AND OUR THREE MAJOR TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITIES.
SO THOSE ENTITIES HAVE POLICY OFFICIALS, NOT STAFF PEOPLE, POLICY OFFICIALS ON THE REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION COUNCIL.
AND THEN THE REMAINING 35 SEATS GIVEN CONGRESSIONAL INTENT.
THESE ARE MADE UP OF THE LOCAL ELECTED OFFICIALS THAT ARE CLOSEST TO THE PEOPLE.
SO THESE ARE MAYORS, COUNCIL MEMBERS, COUNTY JUDGES, AND COUNTY COMMISSIONERS.
BUT DALLAS GETS FIVE, I THINK, BECAUSE OF THE POPULATION.
I THINK FOR FORT WORTH GETS FOUR MAYBE.
IT'S A, IT'S A ONE PER, IT'S A ONE PERSON, ONE VOTE SYSTEM.
AND THEN 20 YEARS OR SO AGO, MAYBE 25 YEARS AGO, THE SMALLER CITIES, 'CAUSE WE HAVE 250 CITIES, THE SMALLER CITIES, IF THEY CAN AGGREGATE UP TO TWO, YOU KNOW, 260, 300,000, THEN THEY WOULD GET A SEAT.
SO EVERYONE WANTS TO BE ON THE RTC, WANNA BE ON THE TABLE.
AND YOU KNOW, SOMETIMES WE HAVE 10 CITIES TO REPRESENT THE SIZE OF GRAND PRAIRIE, AND SOMETIMES DALLAS IS, YOU KNOW, FIVE TO SIX TIMES BIGGER THAN GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO THEY HAVE MORE SEATS AND EVERYONE COMES IN THERE AND, UH, PART OF MY RESPONSIBILITY IS TO GET THEM TO THROW THEIR NAME BADGE AWAY.
BECAUSE NOT EVERYTHING WE CAN DO IS ALWAYS TO BRING BACK A TRANSPORTATION PROJECT IN EACH OF THESE 40 CITIES, UH, AND BUILD A SYSTEM IN AN ORDERLY FASHION.
UH, SOME YEARS YOU GET YOUR BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT AND OTHER YEARS PEOPLE GET YOUR BILLION DOLLAR PROJECT.
SO WHAT, BUT THERE'S OTHER THINGS LIKE DOWNTOWN, DOWNTOWN GRAND PRAIRIE.
THAT'S, THAT'S WHAT I WANTED TO GO TO.
YOU GOTTA REACH IN AND SAY, OKAY, IT'S TIME TO REBUILD DOWNTOWN GRAND PRAIRIE AND CREATE A, CREATE A NEW VISION.
SO THE CITY MANAGER AND YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS, HEY, LET'S REDO OUR DOWNTOWN.
SO I LOVE, I LOVE THAT NOTION BECAUSE NOW THE PEOPLE THAT MAYBE WANNA LOCATE IN YOUR DOWNTOWN AS A NICHE BUSINESS IN DOWNTOWN IS PROBABLY NOT THE SAME BUSINESS THAT'S GONNA LOCATE ON 1 61.
IT'S PROBABLY NOT THE SAME BUSINESS THAT'S GONNA LOCATE ON I 20 FRONTAGE ROAD.
PROBABLY NOT THE SAME BUSINESS AS I 30, PROBABLY NOT THE SAME BUSINESS THAT'S GONNA LOCATE ON 2 87 IN SOUTH GRAND PRAIRIE.
SO THE MORE WE CAN CREATE DIFFERENT MARKETS WITHIN OUR COMMUNITY, THE MORE DIFFERENT PEOPLE CAN KNOCK ON YOUR COUNCIL DOOR AND SAY, HEY, COULD WE COME TO YOUR TOWN AND, AND MAKE, MAKE YOUR CITY A A BETTER PLACE? AND IT'S MY JOB TO CREATE ENOUGH DIVERSITY, HAVE IT BE BIKE PED, SIGNAL IMPROVEMENTS, SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS, FREEWAYS, FRONTAGE, ROADS, AIR QUALITY PROJECTS, UM, YOU KNOW, TO CREATE THE DIVERSITY.
SO YOU AS ELECTED OFFICIALS TAKE THE TIME TO SAY, HEY, LET'S GET MICHAEL ON A SHOW AND, AND, AND SHOWCASE ALL THESE ABILITIES TO HAVE EVERYONE'S VOICE.
IF YOU'RE A SKATEBOARDER AND YOU WANNA ACCESS TO A, A NEW PARK.
AND THAT PARK NEEDS TRANSPORTATION TO GET PEOPLE THERE.
WE CREATE A PARTNERSHIP TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES FOR SKATEBOARDERS TO BE ABLE TO DO THEIR THING.
SO IT'S A, IT'S A REALLY WONDERFUL OPPORTUNITY.
WHEN WE CAME IN, WHEN MY WIFE AND I CAME IN, IN HERE IN 79, IT WAS THE FRIENDLIEST PEOPLE WE EVER MET ANYWHERE IN THE COUNTRY.
AND TO THIS DAY, I THINK DALLAS, FORT WORTH, TEXANS ARE THE FRIENDLIEST PEOPLE.
UM, AND IT'S NICE TO, YOU KNOW, THROW YOUR NAME BADGE AWAY AND JUST FOCUS ON THE OUTCOME AND, AND WHATEVER THE PEOPLE NEED.
SO MICHAEL, LET'S TALK A LITTLE BIT ABOUT 180, BECAUSE WE ARE, WE ARE FIXING TO WORK IN CONJUNCTION WITH RTC AND COG AND TDOT TO REDUCE THAT FROM FOUR LANES TO TWO LANES.
AND I REMEMBER WHEN THAT FIRST, I, I THINK I WAS A CHAIR WHEN THAT GIVE BACK PROGRAM WAS ORIGINALLY FLOATED.
AND A LOT OF US WERE WORRIED, WELL WHAT, WHAT YOU'RE MAKING US TAKE OVER THE MAINTENANCE OF, UH, TEXTILE ROAD THROUGH OUR CITY AND THE EXPLORE OUT.
YOU DON'T HAVE TO, BUT WE'RE GONNA GIVE YOU THE ABILITY TO, IF YOU HAVE VISION FOR WHAT YOU WANNA DO WITH IT.
AND THAT'S WHAT STARTED THAT YEARS AGO.
AND NOW WE'RE SEEING IT HOPEFULLY COME TO FRUITION HERE PRETTY SOON TO MAKE OUR DOWNTOWN MORE VIABLE.
SO EVERY DAY IN THIS JOB, YOU NEVER KNOW WHERE THE NATIONAL GOVERNMENT MAY GO.
AND YOU SOMETIMES DON'T KNOW WHERE THE STATE GOVERNMENT'S GONNA GO.
SO SUPPORTING THE MAYOR'S POINT, MAYBE IT WAS 15 YEARS AGO.
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COVID YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO ADD ABOUT THREE YEARS TO WHATEVER YOU THINK OF MM-HMMBECAUSE IT'S FURTHER BACK THAN YOU THINK.
THE STATE WAKES UP ONE DAY AND SAYS, YOU KNOW, WE HAVE NO MONEY.
WE CAN'T MAINTAIN ALL OF THESE ROADWAYS LIKE THE US ONE EIGHTIES AND GRAND PRAIRIE.
UH, 'CAUSE THAT'S THE ONE WE'RE TALKING ABOUT.
WE'RE GONNA HAVE TO TURN THOSE BACK OVER TO THE CITIES.
WELL, THE CITIES WAKE UP AND SAY, WHOA,
UM, AND NOW THE PENDULUM HAS SWUNG ALL THE WAY TO MAYBE WE DON'T WANT TO GIVE ANY OF THESE ROADWAYS BACK.
SO, UM, I THINK THE STORY TO BE TOLD IS INTERSTATE 30 GOT BIGGER.
1 61 GOT BUILT, 180 NO LONGER SERVES.
IF YOU GO BACK TO THE TWENTIES, THIRTIES AND FORTIES, YOU WANTED TO GO FROM WASHINGTON, DC TO CALIFORNIA.
YOU TRAVELED ON, YOU TRAVELED THROUGH GRAND PRAIRIE AND, AND DOWNTOWN ARLINGTON, UM, AND, AND LANCASTER IN FORT WORTH.
AND THAT WAS YOUR ROUTE ON THE BANKHEAD HIGHWAY TO GO FROM WASHINGTON DC TO CALIFORNIA.
I'M PRETTY SURE NO ONE IS TRAVELING DOWN YOUR MAIN STREET TO GET FROM WASHINGTON, DC TO CALIFORNIA.
THEY'RE UP ON YOUR BILLION AND A HALF DOLLAR INTERSTATE 30.
SO IT'S OUR JOB TO COMMUNICATE IN 19 42, 90 3% OF THE PURPOSE OF THAT ROADWAY WAS THROUGHPUT.
IF YOU LOOK AT YOUR MAIN STREET PROJECT TODAY, 90% OF MAIN STREET TODAY IS LAND USE.
YOU DON'T NEED TO BE ON MAIN STREET.
UH, IF YOU'RE GOING FROM, YOU KNOW, ARLINGTON TO DOWNTOWN DALLAS.
YOU, YOU, WHEN WE BUILD OUR CONTINUOUS FRONTAGE ROADS, IN THE OLD DAYS, YOU WOULD HAVE TO DO IT 'CAUSE ACCIDENT ON, ON THE FREEWAY, YOU'D HAVE TO TAKE IT.
BUT WITH CONTINUOUS FRONTAGE ROADS ON 30, WE REALLY NEED TO, UH, MAKE THE CASE, UH, THE ADULTS AGAIN, STEP FORWARD, MAKE THE CASE MAIN STREET SHOULD BE SMALLER.
'CAUSE 1 61 IS NOW THERE AND INTERSTATE 30 IS NOW THERE.
AND TO CREATE NEW NICHE BUSINESSES, UM, THAT PEOPLE LIKE ME IN ARLINGTON MM-HMM
UH, I, I REGULARLY WENT TO YOUR FARMER'S MARKET, UH, IN DOWNTOWN GRAND PRAIRIE, BROUGHT THE FAMILY.
WOULDN'T IT BE COOL TO DO A WHOLE BUNCH OF OTHER STUFF LIKE THAT IN DOWNTOWN? AND THAT'S WHAT'S INTERESTING, MICHAEL.
PEOPLE DON'T KNOW THE BACKSTORY HOW WE'RE ABLE TO EVEN DO THAT.
AND IF YOU, AS YOU SAID, THE PENDULUM SWINGS, SOMETIMES THEY WANT YOU TO DO IT, SOMETIMES THEY WANNA MAKE YOU DO IT.
SOMETIMES THEY'LL WORK WITH YOU ON IT, THEN THEY CHANGE THEIR MIND.
SO YOU KIND OF GOTTA BE READY WHEN, AND, AND THE PUBLIC, THE PUBLIC, YOU KNOW, PROBABLY GETS FRUSTRATED WHY THINGS TAKE SO LONG.
BUT THE STATE'S INTEREST IS, WELL, WE DON'T WANNA DO ANYTHING THAT HURTS THE ABILITY OF THE PUBLIC TO USE THAT ROADWAY.
'CAUSE THE PUBLIC PAID FOR THAT ROADWAY.
THAT'S THE RIGHT POLICY QUESTION TO ASK.
IT'S OUR BURDEN TO SAY, YOU KNOW, THE MAGNITUDE OF LANES ON THAT ROADWAY ARE NO LONGER NEEDED FOR THE PUBLIC INTEREST.
WE, WE NEED TO REPRESENT THE PUBLIC INTEREST AS WELL.
UM, BUT I THINK THAT'S A, YOU KNOW, THROUGH TRAFFIC SIMULATIONS, WE CAN SHOW THAT THROUGH GOOD PUBLIC POLICY, UH, WHITE PAPERS.
AND THAT'S REALLY THE COOL PARTNERSHIP WE HAVE, UH, WITH YOUR STAFF AND, AND WITH YOU AS BOTH ELECTED OFFICIALS AND YOU'RE THE ELECTED OFFICIALS.
IF YOU DIDN'T WANT US WORKING ON MAIN STREET DOWNTOWN, WE WOULDN'T BE WORKING ON MAIN STREET DOWNTOWN.
YOU WANT US TO WORK ON MAIN STREET DOWNTOWN? WELL, WE'RE GONNA TRY TO FIGURE OUT A WAY WORKING WITH OUR TXDOT PARTNERS TO CREATE THE RIGHT VISION.
UM, AND THAT ONUS IS ON US TO FIGURE, FIGURE THAT OUT.
AND I JUST WAS JUST THINKING THAT TRANSPORTATION HAS TRANSFORMED OUR CITY, UH, AS THE MAYOR SAID, 1 61 AND THEN THE FRONTAGE ROADS AND I'M AND DOWNTOWN OF COURSE, BUT THE FRONTAGE ROADS, I'M REALLY EXCITED ABOUT THEM BECAUSE IN MY DISTRICT, WE COME RIGHT UP TO I 30 AND MAYOR.
I KNOW WE HAVE A LOT GOING ON AT EPIC CENTRAL AND ON 1 61, BUT THERE'S REALLY A LOT THAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN, HAPPEN ON I 30 AS WELL.
BECAUSE WE DO HAVE AVAILABLE LAND AND WE CAN GET TO IT.
NOW WE'RE FINALLY ABLE TO GET TO IT.
AND YOU AND I KNOW SOME THINGS THAT WE SHOULD BE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE SOON, BUT THERE'S MORE ACTIVITY THERE NOW BECAUSE THE FRONTAGE ROADS ARE OPEN.
WE'VE GOT SOME, UH, DEVELOPMENT COMING THERE SOMEDAY IN THE FUTURE.
WE WILL PROBABLY HAVE A CASINO OUT THERE.
I DON'T THINK IT'S GONNA GET OUTTA SESSION.
THIS SESSION DOESN'T LOOK LIKE IT.
DAN PATRICK DOESN'T WANT IT OUT.
AND IF HE DOESN'T WANT SOMETHING OUT, USUALLY NOT GONNA GET OUT.
AND SO, BUT THERE'S OTHER THINGS WE'RE WORKING ON.
CRICKET IS GONNA BE THERE IN THE ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT.
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WILL START BECOMING UTILIZED.THE CITY IS LOOKING AT THAT FLOODPLAIN AREA.
THERE'S A THOUSAND ACRES OF FLOODPLAIN THERE THAT YEARS AND YEARS AGO, WE, WE JUST LOOKED AT IT AND SAID, WELL, THAT'S PRETTY WATER.
WE'RE NEVER GONNA BE ABLE TO USE IT.
WELL, THERE'S NEW TECHNOLOGY TO GET THINGS OUTTA THE FLOODPLAIN AND RECLAIM IT.
UH, YOU, THE RULE OF THUMB IS YOU CAN GET ABOUT A FOURTH OF IT RECLAIMED.
AND SO THE PRICE POINT IN THE DEVELOPMENT IS GETTING TO WHERE IT MAY BE, UH, PRICED OKAY.
TO, TO BE ABLE TO PAY, TO GET IT OUT AND USE.
SO, UM, A LOT OF THINGS, UH, WE'LL BE ABLE TO ANNOUNCE SOME THINGS IN THE FUTURE ABOUT, UH, THE FRONTAGE ROADS ALONG I 30 AND THAT INTERSECTION, 1382 AND I 30.
SO, UM, AND GEORGIA, YOU KNOW, YOUR, YOUR INTEREST IN THESE FRONTAGE ROADS, IT CAME OUT OF THIS ADULT CONVERSATION ABOUT HOW TO GET 1 61 AND BE FAIR TO GRAND PRAIRIE.
AND IT COMES WITH THESE FRONTAGE ROADS.
IF THERE'S AN INCIDENT OR AN ACCIDENT ON I 30, THOSE SIGNALS CAN TURN GREEN AND WE CAN BYPASS THE INCIDENT, UH, IF THAT EVER HAPPENS.
AND THEN THE CITY BENEFITS FROM HAVING ACCESS TO LAND MM-HMM
TO CREATE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BECAUSE WE GOTTA GET THESE 1 MILLION PEOPLE EVERY SEVEN YEARS.
AND IF WE CAN GET 'EM IN THE MIDDLE OF THE REGION THAT ALREADY HAS TRANSPORTATION, THAT SAVES THE RTCA LOT OF MONEY, UH, TO PUT FOLKS ALONG PLACES WHERE WE ALREADY HAVE TRANSPORTATION PROJECTS.
AND WE DO HAVE CHALLENGES IN GRAND PRAIRIE.
UH, I HEARD SOMEONE SAY YESTERDAY, AND I, FIRST TIME I'D EVER HEARD THEM SAY, WE'RE THE LONGEST CITY IN TEXAS, UH, 32 MILES LONG.
DIDN'T WE THOUGHT THEY TOLD US THAT YESTERDAY.
I THOUGHT THAT WAS VERY INTERESTING.
AND I DID ASK ALEXA, I SAID, ALEXA, HOW FAR IS IT FROM FORT WORTH TO DALLAS? AND SHE SAID, 32 MILES.
AND THAT PUTS IT INTO PERSPECTIVE FOR ME TO SAY THAT'S HOW LONG OUR CITY IS.
AND THAT IS THE CHALLENGE TRANSPORTATION WISE AND MANY OTHER WAYS.
BUT, UH, I JUST THOUGHT THAT WAS INTERESTING.
NOW YOU MENTIONED SOMETHING THAT I THINK OUR VIEWERS MIGHT BE INTERESTED IN.
MICHAEL, I KNOW YOU'RE ALWAYS THINKING OUT OF THE BOX AND IT'S DOWN THE ROAD, BUT WHEN YOU SAID, WE MAKE THE LIGHTS CHANGE AND WE DO THIS AND WE DO THAT, WHEN WILL WE GET SMART LIGHTS WHERE WE DON'T SIT THERE WHEN THERE'S NOBODY COMING? AND I KNOW IT HAS TO ALL BE COORDINATED WITH EVERYTHING ELSE, BUT I'M JUST THINKING ABOUT WHEN IT'S, UM, LATE AT NIGHT AND YOU'RE SITTING THERE AT A RED LIGHT AND NOBODY'S COMING EITHER WAY.
AND WE ALL WANT TO GO THROUGH THE LIGHT.
WILL WE EVER LIGHTS, SMART LIGHTS THAT CAN YEAH.
SO WE'RE WORKING ON, UH, WHAT, WHAT I CALL NEXT GENERATION TRAFFIC SIGNALS.
AND, UH, THE EXPECTATION SHOULD BE, UM, IF I, IF MY CELL PHONE CAN DO ALL THESE THINGS, YOU KNOW, WHAT, WHEN, WHEN WILL THIS IMPROVE? UM, SO THE FIRST ONE WE WANT TO DO IS AMBULANCES.
WE GOT A GPS DEVICE, WE KNOW WHERE IT IS.
WE KNOW THE LIGHTS ARE ON, COMES OFF A FREEWAY BY ONE OF THE EMERGENCY ROOMS. WE'RE GONNA TURN ALL THOSE SIGNALS GREEN AND GET THAT, UH, GET ALL THE CARS OUTTA THE WAY OF THAT PARTICULAR AMBULANCE.
SO THAT AMBULANCE DRIVER IS NOT FORCED TO BE CAUTIOUS GOING THROUGH RED LIGHTS TO GET THEIR PATIENT, UH, TO THE DESTINATION.
UM, THEN THESE SMART TRAFFIC SIGNALS, WE'RE WORKING ON THESE MAJOR BUS ROUTES.
INSTEAD OF HAVING DEDICATED PAVEMENT WHERE YOU TAKE THAT WHOLE LANE AWAY FROM CARS, YOU HAVE THE, YOU, YOU TAKE THE SAME TECHNOLOGY, PUT IT IN A TRANSIT VEHICLE.
NOT EVERY ROUTE HAS TO HAVE THIS, BUT THE ONES THAT HAVE FREQUENT HIGH DEMAND LIKE LANCASTER AND FORT WORTH AND THE NEW, UH, PHASE ONE PROGRAM AT DART, WE THEN TAKE THAT TECHNOLOGY TO THESE VEHICLES AND, UH, YOU KNOW, THIS BUS STOP IS STOPPED HERE AT 1 1 33 400 DAYS IN A ROW.
WE KNOW HOW LONG IT HAS TO STOP FOR THE TRAFFIC SIGNAL TURNS GREEN BEFORE THE DOORS CLOSE.
AND THEN YOU DO THOSE PARTICULAR STRATEGIES.
SAME THING HAS TO COME WITH ABILITY TO DETECT THE DEMANDS.
UH, WE'RE WORKING ON A PROJECT NOW FOR TRUCKS.
SO THINK OF YOUR BIG WAREHOUSES IN THE NORTHERN PART OF TOWN OR IN YOUR INDUSTRIAL DISTRICT.
THOSE SIGNAL, THOSE ACCELERATION RATES FOR TRUCKS ARE SO SLOW.
HOW MANY TIMES HAVE YOU BEEN AROUND BEHIND A TRUCK? ONE TRUCK GETS THROUGH THE SIGNAL LIGHT.
YOU GOTTA WAIT AROUND FOR THAT.
HOW DO WE MAKE SURE THE SIGNAL LIGHT KNOW THERE'S A TRUCK THERE TO CHANGE THE SIGNAL TIMING LENGTH.
SO NOT ONE TRUCK GETS OUT EVERY SIGNAL TIME.
HEY, I GOT EIGHT TRUCKS THERE.
I'M GONNA TURN THE, I'M GONNA TURN THE GREEN TIME LONGER.
I'M GONNA FLUSH ALL THESE TRUCKS OUTTA HERE WITH ONE ACCELERATION RATE.
AND THEN WE WORK ON, YOU KNOW, LATE AT NIGHT, UH, PICKING UP ON THESE LOW VOLUME THINGS.
SO THE PUBLIC SHOULD EXPECT TECHNOLOGY IS YES ON THEIR WAY.
[00:30:01]
WE'RE NOT BRIGHT ENOUGH TO FIGURE IT OUT OURSELF, BUT WE'RE HIRING REALLY BRIGHT PEOPLE, UH, TO HELP US GET TO THAT END.UM, WE NEED TO WRAP UP OUR SHOW FOR TODAY.
AND WE HAVEN'T EVEN GOTTEN TO THE RAILROADS TO FUSS ABOUT THEM FOR BLOCKING OUR TRAFFIC.
WE'LL HAVE TO HAVE AN EXTENSION ON ANOTHER SHOW.
ISN'T THAT THE TRUTH? AND THEY DO.
BUT ANYWAY, GENTLEMEN, THANK YOU SO MUCH.
IT'S BEEN SO INTERESTING TO HEAR ABOUT TRANSPORTATION.
MAYOR, THANK YOU FOR BEING HERE.
AND MICHAEL MORRIS, IT'S SUCH A PLEASURE TO HAVE YOU IN GRAND PRAIRIE, TEXAS AND FOR ALL THAT YOU DO TO KEEP US TRANS TRANSPORTATION IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION.
IT'S AN HONOR TO BE WITH BOTH OF YOU TODAY.
I'M GEORGIA CLEMSON REMINDING YOU IT'S HAPPENING IN GRAND.