Greetings to the University Crossing community! April was a busy month in our community, and as such, there are some updates I would like to share:
To begin, construction of the University Crossing Bridge ("Bridge") is now moving into an exciting phase. As many of you may have seen, on April 21st the City of Dallas installed one of three (3) main support towers along Mockingbird Lane to support the Bridge. The two (2) remaining support towers are scheduled for installation in early May. The City of Dallas and the University Crossing Public Improvement District (UCPID) will continue to stay in close contact regarding the status of construction. For up-to-date information related to Bridge construction and lane closures, or to view time lapse photos of the construction, you can visit the Bridge website: www.universitycrossingbridge.com.
Additionally, the UCPID recently contracted with the City of Dallas to have crosswalks repainted at three (3) strategic intersections in our community: Mockingbird Lane & Mockingbird Station, Greenville Avenue & SMU Blvd., and Greenville Avenue & Milton. Repainting these crosswalks is part of the UCPID's overall strategy to improve pedestrian safety in our area. As such, we hope to have the repainting complete in early May.
UCPID is also proud to be part of recent collaboration efforts that will improve our area. The UCPID met with representatives from TXDOT to discuss safety concerns at the intersection of Mockingbird Lane & US75. After the consultation, TXDOT repainted the crosswalks and pavement markers located at this intersection, and they also installed "puppy" trails to direct traffic flow. These improvements will help direct traffic and remind drivers of the pedestrian crosswalks located at this intersection. The second collaboration occurred between the UCPID and DART. At the request of the UCPID, DART trimmed some overgrown shrubbery near the Lovers Lane DART stop. The area previously served as a potential "hiding" spot and could have been used as a nexus for criminal activity, so by collaborating on this project the UCPID and DART engaged in an important example of Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED), which focuses on making properties less vulnerable to criminal activity. The UCPID values these collaborations, and we look forward to future partnerships that will improve our area.
Finally, I want to encourage you to take part in some of our ongoing programs. For example, the UCPID sponsors live music every Friday morning from 8:00-9:00 a.m. near Angelika Film Center and the Mockingbird Station DART stop as part of the Music on Mockingbird program. We also encourage you to take advantage of our Lunch & Learn program, where a Dallas Police officer can visit your place of business and offer "Best Practices" related to calling 911, motor vehicle safety, and more. If you are interested in scheduling a Lunch & Learn at your property or have general questions about our program offerings, please email us at: info@universitycrossing.com.
Thank you for your support, and I look forward to your continued collaboration!
Patrick Sanders
UCPID Executive Director