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General >> General Discussions >> Damaged Fence on Morriss
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Message started by qwerty on May 14th, 2010 at 10:10pm

Title: Damaged Fence on Morriss
Post by qwerty on May 14th, 2010 at 10:10pm


In response to:
http://stopmorriss6.blogspot.com/2010/04/have-you-noticed-new-signs-posted-along.html

Why is that fence still torn down?!? It was hit over THREE months ago!!! Doesn't that motorist have insurance?!? He/she is responsible for the repairs regardless! Doesn't that household have homeowners insurance which should cover the fence? Is that considered neighborhood property, and if so, shouldn't the HOA pay to fix it since so much money is given to them for such maintenance? Or since SOMEDAY (may be 5-10 years from now) that fence will be replaced as part of the expansion project they feel that such money shouldn't be wasted?

I started to see political signs placed next to the damaged area. You know what that says to me? That these candidates are against progress, similar to how Voters United candidates were in the 90s. Remember how wonderful it was having a town of 50k people driving on rural roads designed for a town of 20k? Don't get me wrong, currently I see no need for the expansion. I think we should wait until all the other road construction is finished until considering whether we need it or not. Is this heap contributing to urban blight, meant to forever uglify the neighborhood as a way to tell people how dangerous the road is? Well congratulations, your 40mph 4 lane road is dangerous. Adding two more lanes in the median shouldn't matter to that fences fate.

And believe me, it does contributeb to urban blight. Think about the "Broken Window" theory. Theres a broken been thats been left as-is for months... ...sounds like a perfect place to tag grafitti. They'll never fix it. It will forever be a monument to criminals vandalism.

"4 lane traffic on Morriss Rd, Do we really need 6?" I see this and ask, if it's so dangerous NOW why on earth are you worried about 6? Why not either 1) move because clearly it's NEVER ever going to get any better because Im pretty sure Morriss was always a 4 laner or 2) fight to stop the CURRENT 4 lane danger. I don't think it was this "dangerous" in the 90s or 80s. What changed? The types of drivers. Since we can't force them all to move back where they all came from it would be nice if we could force them to learn how to drive. Focus your struggle on that, especially since your other fight is a lost cause. It always had been planned to be a 6 laner long before any of your group moved here, that's why the medians are so big and the bridges already widen in older areas.

You do realize that fence would have been damaged whether the road was 2, 4, or 6 lanes right? Making it 6 lanes doesn't mean the roads any closer to your property. The speed limit is still 40mph. I fear though with what I see in gerault, that will soon lower to 35mph. 35mph with 4 new traffic lights, I know Ill be taking 2499 instead of morriss when that happens. With 6 lanes and the current traffic, yeah people will want to drive 55 like they do now that 3040 and 2499 are 6 lanes even though the speed limits were also lowered. The answer is not punish good drivers and residents. The answer is heavier traffic enforcement in these areas. I dont want to be forced to drive even slower and risk getting hit by 60mph idiots who before always drove 5 under. And that's the issue with the fence. If people would just OBEY the LAW, there shouldn't be a problem. Odds are that guy was speeding and/or drunk and/or doing something else.

My brick mailbox was hit twice!!! (all of which were hit n runs) First hit was so bad the guy had to be towed. (no info left which is why I consider it a hit n run) Reason? Idiot dropped his cell phone. (no pelican was involved). We have no posted speed limit so I guess that makes it 35mph but I can't see driving faster than 25mph since the roads so narrow. Since clearly having it hit twice means that road is dangerous, should I just leave my mailbox as is next time this happens? I've received a warning from the town from leaving bricks everywhere on my property (I was in the process of landscaping) this means that leaving a destroyed mailbox or fence is against town ordinances. It's no different than someone totaling a parked vehicle, leaving no info, poor owner only has liability and can't afford to fix it or buy another. YES the town CAN fine you for that. Again happened to us. Car looked fine just none running. It even was in our driveway. No we don't have an HOA. All it takes is one person to complain directly to the town and they'll be on their way to harassing them. And trust me, there's enough inconsiderate jerks in this town that it's only a matter of time till someone does.

"This seems to happen about once every quarter or few months" really? I've driven/risen up and down Morriss for 18 years and I don't really see it as being that bad. I'd be surprised if it happened once a year. And if it does, we need more traffic enforcement. Even if it's just a cop taking his/her break somewhere or even leaving an unmanned police vehicle on a median or somewhere.

Title: Re: Damaged Fence on Morriss
Post by KittyFairy on Oct 14th, 2010 at 1:29am
http://www.thenewsconnection.com/article/Main_News/Local/Critics_object_to_taxpayerfunded_fences/33773


Quote:
Denton County voters made funds available for the roadway expansion in a 2008 bond issue. Other planned sources of project funding are revenues for the State Highway 121 Tollway and developer impact fees, triggered by certain milestones in construction of the Riverwalk at Central Park. The completed project, as originally envisioned, expanded Morriss Road from four to six lanes from FM407, south to FM3040. South of FM3040, Morriss becomes Gerault Road, where construction is well along towards a six-lane thoroughfare, which will eventually be connected to FM2499 by a flyover that will speed traffic south towards the airport. Other improvements along the roadway will include traffic signals, construction of left turn lanes, median beautification and expanding the sidewalks on each side of the roadway to six feet wide. The town also plans to install upgraded, uniform fences for aesthetic purposes, as well as to provide sight and sound mitigation for residents whose back fences are built along the Morriss Road right of way.

Inboden contends that a majority of voters have voiced approval for the roadway expansion through the bond election. “What this council is doing is listening to a very vocal minority,” Inboden said. “That very vocal minority got exactly what they wanted, widened sidewalks, beautification of the median and free fences. The people didn’t get the widening of the road to move the traffic,” she added. Bobbie Mitchell, Denton County Commissioner Precinct 3, said Denton County voters provided funding for the Morriss-Gerault project in order to improve regional transportation and that she has been assured by Flower Mound Town Manager Harlan Jefferson that Denton County funds are being used to build roadways, not private fences. She said that in some instances Denton County does provide funding for sound walls to protect property owners near road projects, but not fences on private property.

Deputy Mayor Pro Tem Tom Hayden said funding was approved for fencing and other remediation as the first portion of constructing Morriss Road, so that those issues would be taken care of when the street is potentially widened to six lanes.


I am quoting this because it has been 9 months and that fence is STILL NOT FIXED!!!

I do like the pretty new fences, as they are replacing VERY old and falling boards, but if they arent planning to expand the road in the next year, its not necessary. The lot on the north east side of 1171 and morriss clearly deserves it mostly because property had to be taken, and the old fence removed in order to add onto the sidewalk. But I see no road construction north of 1171.

HOWEVER there is construction south of 1171, and I assume those were the new 6 lanes, unless they are all intended to just be extended turning lanes, and if extended lanes were needed, that means traffic was bad enough to block access to those turning lanes.

I remember when the first sound walls for 2499 were going up. They, BTW, went up AFTER the road was finished being expanded. Anyway, a vehicle somehow managed to jump the curb, do a 180 and crash 20 ft into someones fence. Because it was already scheduled to be replaced it was never repaired. It was left like that for months. Why? because when they got to actually putting up the wall, did they start from the damaged end? No, they started at the far north and slowly worked their way to the damaged area.

So my guess is, they are once again starting north and slowly working their way down where they one day may actually replace the broken fence. My guess is mid 2011, however should the town get in trouble from misuse of road funds, it could be 2012 or 2013, or whenever people finally realize that NFL was a bad choice and vote for real candidates. Funny thing is, the homeowners of that property supported those guys.

Whether they get their fence or not through those funds, I doubt it will be before the 1 year anniversary of the fences demise. Clearly "wasting" the drivers insurance money, home owners insurance, or hoa money that they pay dues for would be acceptable.

Title: Re: Damaged Fence on Morriss
Post by UmmYeahOk on Jan 4th, 2011 at 2:06am
Its almost been a full year. I think last super bowl was when it happened, so in a month it'll have its one year anniversary. One whole year and still nothing? I don't see how I can get a nasty letter from the town about having a couple of bricks temporarily on my sidewalk (by my porch no where near the street) and their fence which is clearly visible to EVERYONE not receive a harassment letter. Youve got all these people up in arms about how drilling creates a horrible eyesore, and nothing about this?

I did hear from someone that they don't in fact have an HOA, but still, I cant imagine them not having home owners insurance. You pretty much cant get a home loan or mortgage without it. I'm pretty sure that's covered. When the tornado came through a year ago many fences were torn down, my mother's was one of them. Insurance paid to replace hers. And still... ...what about the driver?!? I mean its not like it was a hit n run. I'm sure that thing had to be towed. Did they not have liability. And if not, they're still responsible. If they can afford to own a car, they can afford to replace a fence.

I noticed a couple houses down another section of fence was damaged. Not sure if it was due to construction, or yet another idiot with a license. I don't get it. They lower the speed limit to 35mph, MOVE the road further away from the fences, and this STILL happens?!? I do believe the move was necessary though. There are many places where east/west traffic cant see if other motorists are coming, now they can at least nose out a bit more without getting hit.

Title: Re: Damaged Fence on Morriss
Post by haleycart on Feb 20th, 2012 at 1:13am
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