As the campus is well aware, the City of Fort Worth has been moving toward development of a Berry Streetscape over the past few years, with support from the Berry Street Initiative and TCU. The TCU Barnes & Noble Bookstore, the GrandMarc at Westberry, pedestrian-friendly walkways and attractive esplanades have brought new businesses to the area and created an urban village environment.

 

The City is now extending the construction efforts three blocks farther west down Berry Street, beginning at Waits Avenue and stopping at the McDonald’s just past University Drive. Construction is expected to begin in February.  Barring unforeseen delays, the work should be completed by December.

 

Jesse Rangel (project manager, physical plant) has been told that, at times, the stretch of Berry located within the construction area will be reduced to one lane on both the north and south sides of the street.

 

According to an article posted on the tcu360 website www.tcu360.com, Fort Worth senior planner Arty Wheaton-Rodriguez says the campus community will be alerted to the different phases of construction and will have access to alternate routes, especially during graduation and football season. He says the goal of the Berry Street project will outweigh the inconveniences.

 

Other plans include construction of medians, landscape planter boxes within the sidewalk area, street trees, benches, trash receptacles and both roadway and pedestrian lights.

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