BARNES STREET IMPROVEMENTS: ENHANCING

Parking Deck Accessibility

EXISTING: Alabama Street approaching Adamson Square in downtown Carrollton includes intersections at Barnes Street, Presbyterian Avenue, and Maple Street with features that limit connectivity through the area. The parking deck shown at left is not currently accessible from this heavily traveled corridor. A large striped area in the center lane could be put to better use.

Short Term

This concept shows relatively simple and affordable improvements that could be made to Alabama Street in the short term. To encourage visitors to park in the existing deck, this design extends a left turn lane and removes a portion of the pedestrian island at the intersection with Barnes Street. This adjustment to the current traffic pattern would allow out-of-town visitors to more conveniently access the parking deck. Clear signage like the options shown could also encourage more use of this downtown resource. This concept repurposes the striped center lane as a loading zone for trucks supplying downtown businesses and restaurants. Additional improvements include extending attractive streetlamps down this prominent corridor.

Option I

This design option shows an attractively landscaped center median in the currently unused striped center lane. Between Barnes Street and Adamson Square, Alabama Street includes roughly 32 and a half feet of paving. Incorporating an eight-foot median would allow up to 12foot travel lanes through the area. A median similar to the one shown could create a pedestrian traffic island at the existing crosswalk. Planting street trees like Valley Forge American elm or willow oaks in the sunny center of the roadway could create an attractive overarching canopy over both sides of the street.

Option Ii

This alternate design option uses the former center turn lane to add four feet of sidewalk and street trees like Chinese elm along both sides of Alabama Street. Shrinking the amount of space available for vehicles approaching downtown and adding traffic calming features like street trees could help mitigate excessive speeding.

ALABAMA STREET CORRIDOR: TRAFFIC CALMING AND CONNECTIVITY IMPROVEMENTS

EXISTING: This image shows existing conditions along Alabama Street approaching Adamson Square. Currently the 32-and-a-half-foot paved area includes a striped center lane and two travel lanes, with roughly 12-foot sidewalks along either side of the street.

Short Term

This shorter-term concept shows improvements including a dedicated loading zone, street lights, and clear parking signage. A modified island and turn lane at the intersection with Barnes Street could allow easy access to the existing parking garage.

Option I

Reclaiming the striped center lane as an eight-foot landscaped median could help slow traffic and create a sense of arrival downtown. This design also shows utility lines relocated underground.

Option Ii

The right-of-way dedicated to the striped center lane in this section of Alabama Street could be repurposed to add sidewalk width and features like attractive street trees to either side of the road.