Dallas considers plan to close city streets for more pedestrian-friendly events
DALLAS - The city of Dallas is exploring a plan to open up city streets to pedestrians and cyclists by closing them to cars at certain times of the day. The pilot program would be called Open Streets.
Cities closing down streets on weekends is becoming a trend across the country.
One example is an event called Viva Calle in San Jose, California. Three times a year, the city closes down miles of city streets from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. to bring people together to walk or bike to explore the city, leaving cars behind.
Dallas City Council members on the Quality of Life Committee like the idea.
"For physical activity but also to support economic development and getting people from one neighborhood to go to another neighborhood and explore different areas not using cars. I think that as a concept in general is very exciting," said Councilman Chad West.
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Currently, special event organizers request permits for street closures, and they foot the bill for the costs involved.
Under the Open Streets pilot program, the city would initiate the closure and absorb the costs for things like public safety.
"With the whole point of lessening traffic that day and encouraging people to be outside," said Rosa Flemming, the Dallas Convention and Event Services director.
Dallas Councilwoman Paula Blackmom said she would like to see the city utilize the streets around Klyde Warren Park for events on the weekends.
"And figure out how we create those pathways that get people out of the cars and all of a sudden now you're seeing cyclists and walkers and joggers versus cars screaming down," she said.
The city said before temporarily closing a street, it would reach out to the neighborhood associations.
"If you get a lot of pushback, you will have to take that into account," said Councilman Jaime Resendez.
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The cost of the proposed pilot program wasn’t presented. It would depend on the size of each proposed closure.
"In a lot of our special events, we try to ask for on-duty officers so that we mitigate some of the costs. The biggest cost is typically public safety," Flemming said.
Councilman West said the simplified approach could help the Bishop Arts District, where event organizers have tried to make this happen for more than four years.
"I'm excited to see that this is a simplification of it. And I think it's a good baby step in the right direction. The full closure of a street in an area, people lose their minds when you start talking about that in Dallas. But a closure for a few hours on one day here and there I think is a way to get people more into it," he said.
Committee Chair Paul Ridley requested that the staff come back to the committee with more specific steps by early next year.