1. Highland Park is itching to turn Mockingbird Lane into “the first tolled surface street in the country,” at least the part between the tollway and Hillcrest. It’s odd a city that doesn’t like outlanders driving through its residential streets seems so intent on forcing them to do just that.
2. The City Plan Commission is going to switch from use-based zoning to form-based zoning. I know it doesn’t make sense, but it’s a good thing. It means more walkable neighborhoods. The only problem? An advisory committee has recommended it only apply to projects of at least 25 acres and preferably 40. Meaning: it’ll probably never be used. Michael Davis, is that really going to happen? Am I reading that completely wrong? UPDATE: Michael tells me that, yes, I’m reading that wrong. Form-based zoning is another tool, not a replacement they’re switching to.
3. Fire Chief Eddie Burns might as well have had his publicist send in this story about catching an arsonist, but hey, we love the guy, so who cares?
35 comments
Why not just shut down Mockingbird Lane for good, and make it a pedestrian-only footpath? Then in addition to getting rid of the automobile congestion, we could also encourage the snooty Highland Park residents who live on that stretch to move on as well?
The tunnel that was proposed years ago would have fixed the problem. But the damn snooty residents that choose to live on a VERY busy road, said, no.
And why would anyone buy a house on that road?
Consider: Issuing all Park Cities residents an invisible (natch) toll tag that Highland and University Park residents to drive free on that stretch of Mockingbird (meaning THEIR stretch vs. Dallas) but also tallies a running surcharge to PC autos for their use of other parts of Mockingbird stretching from the toll road to Love Field as well as Hillcrest to Greenville (or Abrams). Sorta like the Vatican in Rome… either stay in St. Peters or pay when you visit the Spanish Steps.
Since Ian and Mike didn’t think it was necessary to get a quote from a Dallas resident who uses the road to commute, here’s one: “Sure, let ‘em toll us. But let’s make things fair. Charge HP residents a toll to travel the Mockingbird section between HP and the toll road (the street turns Dallas in front of Mrs. Baird’s) and on the west side of the toll road.”
Charge tolls for people who drive on Mockingbird? Really? REALLY?
To HP resident Don Chase – When you said this: “We’re not using their neighborhood street, so why should they use ours?” – SERIOUSLY?
To the HP people who support this idea, or complain about the traffic on Mockingbird in general: if you paid the extremely high price to buy a home on Mockingbird and THEN started to complain about the traffic, your are a JACK A$$.
And I am specifically talking to you Don Chase.
Why would we (Dallas) let this little suburb, completely surrounded by the evil city, push us around? Time for the seige – embargo on.
I think it’s a great idea…show your papers to travel across the city. It worked so well for Berlin. Let them have a toll, but extend it to a full fledged wall. Tax and toll all PC residents when they use OUR streets, stores, water, air… How freaking petty. Stay classy Don Chase.
How about a toll to get out? It’s not like I want to drive through their smug little city, it’s in the way.
this would work, like in London only if all pay. so there.
I am sure Highland Park isd and the folks at HP Village will love figuring out the teachers and workers at the elementary School and businesses that are filled with employes who dont and cant live in the Highland park.
Also, how does North Dallas tollway Mockingbird exit set up the fact that you pay and pay again to exit.
stupid.
I remember when Pojaque Pueblo had the cranes and the concrete barricades all set up and ready to block the highway if the state didn’t allow their casino. Hey, anything could happen.
Just to make a point, I’m going to spend the rest of my day cruising that little strip of Mockingbird…back to my high school days…gimme a break. This is like two years ago when water was being rationed and my St. Augustine was dieing but Trammell Crow Jr. had a water bill in excess of $10K. SHEESH!
This plan is just fine by me. Who the hell drives on Mockingbird through HP? I’ve been using Beverly and/or Armstrong for years. Now everybody else will, too. Who says richfolk ain’t all geniuses? [insert obligatory Bush dig here, just to get Amanda's goat]
Did anybody, including Zac, bother to read the article?
i’m in camp with amanda and Huh? this is simply mind-boggling. what a sheltered life of privilege these people must lead
seems to me that many HP residents just don’t want non-white, non-wealthy folk anywhere near their property line other than to mow the lawn
“we’re not using their neighborhood street, so why should they use ours?”
i translate that to read: i hate people that aren’t the same as me
let’s just put a bubble over the entire HP “city” and let them go all lord of the flies on each other
Yesterday we heard about ‘keeping the riff-raff infestation out of NorthPark’ – I would posit that this is a pattern but having rubbed shoulders with the bubble people all my life I know it’s par for the course.
I wonder if the HP/UP police are still getting those “Negroes are using the parks” complaints reported by the Times Herald before it was subsequently snuffed by the Parkie-controlled DMN?
I would not think the people living on Beverly would like this idea too much.
I’d be happy to pay a toll if the residents of Highland Park would quit using any Dallas roads.
Hold on! This might be a pretty darn good idea that Dallas should adopt — charge a congestion fee for all non-residents travelling through the City of Dallas? Let’s see that includes the Garland, Richardson, Plano, the Park Cities (we wouldn’t leave you out), etc. Perhaps we could double the fee for folks from Fort Worth. The money could go to the upkeep of the Dallas streets that these drivers use so “freely.”
Since toll booths would be especially tacky, we could just toss the toll on their lawns. Then the children would know money grows on trees.
When June Jones sells out Ford stadium, we’ll also be paying to park on Mockingbird lawns just like those university neighbors do for Colonial and TCU events.
In other news, Preston Hollow considers collecting tolls from HP/UP for living in its shadow.
It would be easy to drive around any toll booth. HP doesn’t start until just before Airline. Just go through the La Madeline parking lot. If the booth is on the other side of Airline, just go down Airline and come back on Abbott! This is not feasible for the city of Highland Park, unless they intend to block all of the side streets, too.
So are the maids, nannies, and lawn dudes going to get toll allowances? Or will the help clutter up adjoining streets and walk?
And assuming this passes and goes well, should we expect Beverly Drive to eventually do the same?
Chief Burns:
I love how the article mentions how Burns had just finished working out and was hungry. Logical destination after a good work out…Popeye’s Chicken.
@Chris:
I remember that tunnel idea…would’ve been a great solution but if I remember correctly, HP folks didn’t like the way the surface exhaust vents looked. Yup. Who knows, if HP hadn’t been so against idea, they might actually have that neighborhood street today that they so desperately want.
Old article about the tunnel idea: http://www.tollroadsnews.com/node/2733
I think we should meet at Al Bienat’s and then caravan, driving up and down Beverly Drive honking our horns and waving like the old days of ‘Come to Vacation Bible School’ parades. (I know, I know….if you moved here from any place but the south or Texas this does not compute so contact Steve Blow or Allen Peppard) Any one with convertibles should have the best looking hotties sit on rear hoods like at Homecoming, tiaras optional. Unless you’re a dude. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.
Randye, yes I read the article. What is your point? Please share.
About the Berlin Wall–that’s a reality today. Years ago, HP walled up its western boundary from Lemmon north and west almost to Inwood to cut off the Lemmon neighborhood from its precious streets. It’s easy to see now that most of the neighborhood has been levelled for redevelopment. That’s why Bowser, Holland, Mahanna, Wheeler, Cedarplaza, Miles, Dorothy, and S. Versaailles all dead-end when they reach the “Bubble.” I haven’t seen any armed guards on the watchtowers, yet.
It’s time to annex the Park Cities.
Alternate plan: add a surcharge for PC residents to continue using Dallas’ infrastructure like sewer, etc.
I can see the Park Cities schools as magnet schools for greater Dallas.
Discuss.
Actually some of the wiser Parkies pay tuition to go to Dallas schools so their kids won’t be bad seeds.
Speaking of walls . . .
What’s the deal with the eyesore of a wall going up along Northwest Highway near Hillcrest? What’s next for the Park Cities, turrets with boiling oil ready to pour down on the barbarian hordes?
This story almost ranks up there with the lunacy of Crenshaw.
Money doesn’t make you smarter.
As a matter of fact, as the recent stories from HP prove, it just makes douche-bags feel a little more privileged. Hillary should move here, she would blend right in.
If you didn’t read the article, please note:
this idea was floated LAST YEAR and was VOTED DOWN. It was part of a dart program to find innovative solutions for traffic-clogged streets. It may be a stupid idea, but it is innovative.
No need to throw PC residents under the bus for an engineer’s idea, now is there?
Innovative? That word is way overused and certainly doesn’t need to be lumped in with tolling Mockingbird Lane. Innovative would be a time machine at both ends of Mockingbird; not a toll booth.