Abram Street
Jun 3, 2014
A Few Words from Community Leaders
John Hall
VP for Administration and Campus Operations at UT Arlington
“Narrowing” streets, providing on-street parking, adding grass/landscaped medians are all effective methods for slowing vehicular traffic...a must to create a safe, inviting, pedestrian friendly, environment. Most downtowns favor congested streets as it is good for the downtown merchants...certainly much better than a thoroughfare with vehicular traffic traveling at 45 miles per hour.
Downtown Arlington is fortunate to have Division Street one block to the north that can be that thoroughfare for moving traffic through the area. Traffic studies should confirm that one “thoroughfare” in the downtown area is sufficient to move the volume of traffic in this area. There is a need to increase density in the downtown/university district and thoroughfares are not conducive to residential development in the district.
Cliff Mycoskie
Downtown Business Owner, MMA Texas
Changing Abram Street to be a more pedestrian oriented thoroughfare, is a game changer for Downtown Arlington.
The Levitt Pavilion has created an amazing atmosphere and with the possibility of rebuilding Abram Street to be a more walkable, drivable, and enjoyable road section helps improve Arlington’s overall image.
Pass through traffic will have a heightened visual experience, and realize Downtown is a place to eat, live, work and shop. People driving down Abram Street will see it as a destination.
Rebuilding Abram Street into a festive roadway, gives Arlington’s residents and visitors alike: the ability to experience its world class venues, restaurants, and the City’s everyday feeling of community.
I drive Abram Street daily, and feel its current presence is lacking in stature. Let’s celebrate Abram Street and make this a game changer for Downtown Arlington.
Matt Bowman
President of Thrive Internet Marketing, a Downtown Business
After college I lived in Germany for a year. The city I lived in had a great pedestrian area with shops and restaurants. This small stretch of road was the heart of the city and was always full of shoppers or families going for a stroll.
I fully support the idea of creating a similar environment here in Arlington on Abram Street. I believe the residents will love it and the businesses will grow. Any overflow traffic will use Division Street just a block to the north. It's a no-brainer!
Join me in supporting the Downtown Abram Street development project!
Rick Merritt
Managing Member of RP Anvil, LP and Downtown Property Owner
It is time for everyone to know where Downtown Arlington is. It is overdue to be an exciting place where people want to come to live, eat, shop, stroll, go to a movie, see a show at the Levitt invest, go to the library, or just sit on a park bench and enjoy the atmosphere because we finally have one.
Robert S. Johnson
Owner and CEO of a Downtown Business,
Abram today is a classic Stroad – a combination of a road and a street. The difference between a road and a street it that a road is designed to be efficient at moving vehicles from point to point while a street is an efficient means for all manner of transportation to be safely engaged in. A stroad does a poor job of both functions of a road and a street. So Abram today suppresses the vitality which would result in increased economic development of downtown as it has high speed vehicular traffic and poor pedestrian amenities.
Recreating Abram street into a pedestrian-friendly environment will result in more people walking in downtown. That will result in more economic activity. Remember, cars don’t buy anything, and people driving at 35-45 mph cannot appreciate the businesses they are whizzing by. Making Downtown Arlington a destination and having Abram be our “Main” street will energize development here.