Dallas-area leaders are celebrating the completion of street improvements on Medical District Drive as part of an effort to improve mobility in the highly trafficked area.
The project expanded the Medical District鈥檚 main thoroughfare by widening the road, adding bike lanes and completing pedestrian improvements.
Dallas County District 4 Commissioner Elba Garcia, who represents the area of Dallas that includes the Medical District, said the project has been 18 years in the making.
鈥淭his is a critical project because not only it moves people, it moves patients, it moves doctors, it moves 3.3 million people a year just in this area,鈥� Garcia told 四虎影院.
Garcia said she remembers when the street was still named Motor Street; she said it was filled with potholes and often flooded.
鈥淲e knew something had to change, and transportation was the key,鈥� Garcia said.
Hospital leaders had previously complained to the city about narrowing the road, which was ultimately resolved when the project added lanes for accessibility. The overall project cost $31 million to complete.
There's also easier access to public transit along Dallas Area Rapid Transit's Green Line and the Trinity Railway Express.
Dallas Mayor Pro Tem Jesse Moreno said the project was a crucial component of the city鈥檚 long-term plan to connect residents with the area鈥檚 main hospitals: Parkland, UT Southwestern Medical Center and Children鈥檚 Medical Center.
鈥淲hat we're celebrating today is not just another road project," Moreno said. "It's an access to our most important resources here in the city of Dallas, the Medical District,鈥�
Gus Khankarli, the city鈥檚 director of transportation and public works, said the next step is to improve nearby Harry Hines Boulevard with new traffic signals that will give first responders better access to the hospitals.
鈥淲e're doing it for improvements to the quality of life, saving lives and making sure that we're delivering what we're supposed to deliver to our residents and the region,鈥� Khankarli said.
Pablo Arauz Pe帽a is 四虎影院鈥檚 growth and infrastructure reporter. Got a tip? Email Pablo at parauzpena@kera.org.
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