City proposes adding tow zones on east campus
Plan also includes restricting parking on resident streets
By Sarah Krebs
Staff Reporter

The City of Fort Worth Transportation and Public Works Department proposed Monday night that the city restrict parking on residential streets and add tow zones around TCU’s east campus.

City Councilwoman Wendy Davis and the Transportation and Public Works Department met with area residents at St. Stephens Presbyterian Church to discuss the plan, which would go into effect by August if it is approved by the city council within the next month and a half.

Joe Ternus, assistant director of the Transportation and Public Works Department, said he wanted to focus on having a fire truck or car being able to pass on the street without a problem.

“We are trying to keep the character of these streets, and because they are narrow, we need to protect the citizens and keep the streets open,” Ternus said. “We think there is not enough respect for parking signs and, that if we add the tow away zones, people won’t do it more than once.”

The city proposed that it installs signs preventing parking within 30 feet of intersections, that it installs tow away signs and that there be no parking on the west side of streets that run north to south and no parking on the north side of streets that run east to west.

Davis said the repercussions now are not enough to thwart the problem and that the best way the city can react is to add the tow away signs. She said she was working with the police and courts to find a way to legally allow tow companies to tow cars without having the police give a ticket first.

“If they have a violation on TCU they pay $75, but they pay $12 to the city and they can get dozens of tickets,” Davis said. “(TCU) won’t release transcripts or let the student enroll if they have too many tickets.”

Members of the University Place Homeowner’s Association, the Frisco Heights Neighborhood Association and the Paschal Neighborhood Association also discussed other short-term plans to lessen the congested street problem.

Mark Scott, who lives on West Cantey Street, said he knows that TCU has gotten rid of three major parking areas without adding more accommodations for the students, but that something needs to change to improve the situation.

“I had my driveway blocked four times last year and called the police and they took an hour and a half to get here, and by that time the students were gone,” he said.

Larry Falcone, who lives on Cockrell Avenue, said he thinks that higher ticket prices, cars being towed away and maybe even using a car boot would be the best action.

“I wouldn’t live in the TCU area if I didn’t like TCU and I have nothing against the students, but something needs to be done about parking,” Falcone said.

Melissa Moyer, a senior biology major, said she understands the residents are concerned but that TCU does not provide enough spaces.

“It sucks, but what else are you supposed to do if you can’t find a place to park?” Moyer said. “They also took away about 150 spaces to build a new building.”

Moyer said if the proposition is in place next fall it will anger TCU students and might contribute to students leaving TCU.

s.d.krebs@tcu.edu