The City plans to permanently narrow Piedras Street (Yandell to Montana) by closing the right lanes in both directions, adding curbs and planters, and fully rebuilding the road and utilities. The City will close Piedras completely for 10 months, at least, to accomplish these plans.
Why This Plan Is a Terrible Idea
1. Choking Traffic Flow
Piedras is a vital north-south artery for Five Points and surrounding neighborhoods. Reducing lanes will worsen congestion, especially during train crossings, and contradicts TXDOT’s plan to route more traffic through Piedras.
2. Favoring Some Businesses Over Others
Beautification may benefit a few businesses, but it harms others that rely on traffic flow. It’s unfair and discriminatory to prioritize aesthetics over accessibility and economic survival of the whole of Five Points, Manhattan Heights and the Eastside Central Coalition.
3. Outdated and Incomplete Data
The plan is based on pre-COVID data and lacked transparent stakeholder engagement. Despite repeated requests, FPDA was denied access to traffic studies and excluded from planning discussions. Many businesses were unaware of the plan until FPDA intervened. In the two-block bottleneck, businesses have left and current businesses were not a part of the original planning or any subsequent process.
4. “Road Diet” as the Only Safety Solution
Pedestrian safety is important, but alternatives exist. On Mesa Street, pedestrian fencing was used instead of lane reductions. Why not apply similar solutions here if safety is a primary consideration?
5. Full Closure for 10 Months Is Unacceptable
Businesses cannot survive such prolonged closures. Past city projects have shown delays and poor communication. The risk of extended timelines and unforeseen issues is high. The City must employ partial closures or phased construction to enable traffic, even at a reduced flow, that will protect local investment and community access.
A Better Way Forward
The City must abandon plans to make the current bottleneck permanent and eliminate the total closure of Piedras Street at any time. Infrastructure upgrades may be necessary, but not at the cost of business viability and neighborhood connectivity. Let’s develop a plan that keeps Piedras open and Five Points thriving. Join us June, 18th at noon at Su Casa Restaurant located at 2030 Yandell Dr. for detailed information on and discussion of the City’s plans and to develop a plan of action to protect Five Points from these potentially devastating plans.
