Perry Mayor and Council were presented with three design concepts at their Monday work session for alterations to Main Street. The three designs, presented by Engineering Manager Chad McMurrian, consisted of proposed options to alter the course of the roadway in which the road would end into Carroll Street along the north eastern side of Legacy Park, rather than ending into General Courtney Hodges Boulevard, as it does currently. McMurrian stated that the reason was for council to decide in which direction they would like the project to proceed in way of design.
Of the three plans presented, council decided on the first concept (concept one), which was endorsed by both McMurrian and City Manager Lee Gilmour. This design, McMurrian shared, consisted of a city standard curve radius—whereas the others were not, consisting of an American standard curve and a stop and turn. It would end into Carroll Street and would have no parking on the street at this particular area of Main Street (as the other options would include) and a parking lot would be offsite.
McMurrian told the Houston Home Journal that concept one was recommended due to safety aspects of traffic going around the curve and the lack of cars backing out of spaces on the street, in addition to vehicles coming around the curve. McMurrian informed council Monday evening that the city standard curve allows a better sight distance from the entrance to Evergreen Cemetery, allowing for vision in each direction before pulling out on the road. McMurrian said, he did not see a safety issue with the manner in which traffic would flow from Evergreen onto the street. McMurrian told the Houston Home Journal that the next step of the process is to incorporate the entrance of the cemetery into the design and told council Monday evening, that the current design does not infringe on the property of the cemetery in any way.
City Manager Gilmour, in giving his recommendation in favor of concept one, also spoke of the notion of parking spaces along the street, as seen in the other concepts, as a potential issue citing a “fair amount” of traffic on Main Street. He also pointed out that this is part of the major parade route for the city, and that the wider curve portrayed in this option was better.
Council agreed to move forward with concept one.
HHJ News
