To the University Crossing community, happy spring! April was a busy month in our neighborhood, and as such, there are some updates I would like to share.
To begin, I would like to provide an update on the pedestrian bridge over Mockingbird Lane ("Bridge"). The University Crossing Public Improvement District ("UCPID"), maintains close contact with the City of Dallas ("City"), regarding Bridge maintenance. To that end, the City has begun installing illuminated hand rails along large portions of the Bridge, and the City hopes to have this installation completed by early May. (Note: In previous Director's Notes I indicated that the handrails were LED. While the hand rails will be illumined, they are not LED lights).
Additionally, in April, the UCPID was involved in several new projects. These projects included:
1) we contracted to replant portions of SMU Blvd., along the sidewalk and medians, to beautify the area;
2) we executed a maintenance contract to maintain a larger portion of the University Crossing trail, between SMU Blvd. and Twin Sixties St.;
3) we contracted to install new pedestrian push buttons and countdown timers at the intersection of Mockingbird Ln. and Matilda, in an effort to improve pedestrian safety; and
4) we contracted to repaint the crosswalks at Lovers Ln. & Greenville Ave., as well as, University & Greenville Ave., in an effort to improve pedestrian safety.
Also, the UCPID continues to partner with the City of Dallas, Park & Recreation ("Park & Rec") on installation of pedestrian lighting along the University Crossing Trail, which runs through our community. Recently, the UCPID met with representatives from Park & Rec and TXDOT to discuss a funding program for this project. The UCPID will provide updates as this program progresses.
Regarding current programs, I encourage you to take part in some of the UCPID's ongoing programs. For example, with our Music on Mockingbird program, the UCPID sponsors live music every Friday evening, at 6pm, at Mockingbird Station near the Angelika Theater. We also encourage you to take advantage of our Lunch & Learnprogram, 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, please contact us at the email below. Furthermore, to supplement our Lunch & Learn program, the UCPID has developed a Resource Guide, which is free to all citizens. This guide is designed to provide "Helpful Hints" related to such topics as: When to Call 911, Crime Watch Tips, Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety, and how to obtain a Criminal Trespass Affidavit. If you would like a copy of the Resource Guide, for your home or business, please let us know.
Finally, as noted last month, the UCPID completed installation of bike stations, throughout our community. These bikes are free for the first three (3) hours of riding, and if you return the bike to any station in this network before the three (3) hours is up, the clock will reset. For more information about where the stations are located and how to use these bikes, you can visit our landing page at: http://bike.zagster.com/mockingbirducpid/.
Thank you for your support, and if you have any suggestions on how to improve our community, I welcome your input.
Patrick Sanders, Executive Director, UCPID
info@universitycrossing.com