As many know, the City is finalizing plans to redo a large portion of Elm (soon) and Commerce (eventually).  Elm Street is first, with construction set to begin next year.  Commerce would be next, with construction likely to begin years away (easily 5 or more years from now).

On Elm Street, plans call for the loss of one existing lane, which would allow for the complete redo and expansion of existing sidewalks, sidewalk cafes, trees, landscaping, new parking meters, new street lamps, bicycyle parking, etc. The biggest design and planning issue is whether to eventually turn Elm Street into a two-way street, and the City is holding a public meeting this Thursday on that issue. (more below).

The kicker is that Elm Street and Commerce Street are tied together on the one-way/two-way issue.  If the City decides to convert Elm Street to two way, the earliest that would happen would be years into the future, if and when the City gets bond money and other financing for Commerce Street.  At that point, both Elm and Commerce would be converted to two-way streets.  So for the next 5 or more years until the city gets financing to redo Commerce St., Elm Street will remain one way.

On Wednesday, October 26, the Deep Ellum Community Association will host an informal meeting at LaGrange (2704 Elm St.) at 4:30pm to discuss these plans.  DECA has obtained the drawings for both Elm Street and Commerce and will have those on display.  Businesses, residents, property owners and other interested parties are welcome to come and discuss the issue, learn more, or register your views or concerns.

On Thursday, October 27 at 4:00pm at the Dallas City Hall (5th Floor, Roome 5-EN), the City is hosting a public meeting during which they will show the updated project renderings discuss parking and loading zone issues, and seek comment on whether to eventually convert both Elm and Commerce to two way streets or leave them one way permanently.  Click here for the meeting flier (and note that parking that day is in the above-ground metered parking.)

You can also download the project renderings for Elm and Commerce Street conversion to a two-way street and alternatively, leaving the street as a one-way.