Dallas is Exploding with Races and Other Street Events, So City Hall Will Make Some Rules

By Eric Nicholson Mon., Aug. 6 2012 at 12:43 PM

Over the past six years, the number of 5Ks, 10Ks, half-marathons, marathons, fun runs, not-so-fun runs, French-themed bicycle showdowns and other organized races has exploded in Dallas, up 60 percent, according to the city. It speaks well of the city, both that it indicates that more and more people are exercising and that they're engaged enough to organize and participate in community events. It gives hope that we may someday in the distant future shed our image as one of the nation's fattest cities.

But not everyone is so thrilled with our newfound penchant for physical activity, so complaints fielded by the city have spiked just about as dramatically as the number of events. People seem to be most upset that the same streets are closed over and over again (e.g. anything near White Rock Lake) and that Sunday events have a negative impact on churches.

The complaints have prompted the city to brainstorm new regulations to help lessen the impact of races. They disallow street closures within 10 days of a previous street closure, require parking plans to be submitted to the Office of Special Events, and place restrictions on the use of Lawther Drive at White Rock.

And just in case you were wondering: Yes, the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge is available for your special event, assuming it has more than 6,000 participants, "significantly contributes to positive advertising and economic growth of the city," and you have $5,000 per day the city requires to close off the bridge. Anyone filming on the bridge will just have to dodge traffic.

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jared.heath

Its about time. We don't need street races every month blocking access to the lake, Mockingbird, parts of NW Hwy, and multiple other streets.

scottindallas topcommenter

celebrate divershitty! THE LAST THING WE NEED ARE RACES EXPLODING. ONE RACE IS ALL WE NEED, THE WHITE RACE.

GreatJobOSE

This is a terrific move for the City of Dallas. I appalaud the Office of Special Events for taking the iniativie to bring some sanity to an otherwise chaotic system. Great Job OSE...........

JaniceA

1 Like

I can barely stand walking my dog in this fuckin heat

Crusader

2 Like

Obviously, the additional permits and approvals will help to bolster this renaissance of physical fitness in the metro area. I mean, what couldn't be helped by additional bureaucracy!

gangstead1

2 Like

The message is that closing down roads is OK as long as the city of Dallas gets a taste of the money.

1dailyreader

@gangstead1 If you're referring to the MHHB, it seems that the $5,000 is way too much to ask. I doubt that many cards pass over in one day to earn that much in toll money.

icowrich

@gangstead1 I'm guessing it costs more than $5000 to shut down that bridge and handle the resulting issues. It seems a fair price to me.

TexOHara

1 Like

@icowrich For $5k, I'll gladly throw up some cones and hire a couple of off-duty cops for a few hours.

Anon

8 Like

There are plenty of legitimate reasons to require local road races to register with the city, and even to limit them in certain places. Church isn't a good reason. When the church near my house blocks traffic so they can all leave after the service, no one cares about how that impacts me, so I am not inclined to care if my leisure activity impacts them.

movinondown

4 Like

$5000 a day to close the bridge works out to what? $500 a car that would have used it if it were open?

ScottsMerkin topcommenter

1 Like

@movinondown for all the bitching about the bridge, low usage shouldnt be one. There is a noticable difference for the better in traffic flow eastbout 30 into downtown and on the occasion there is a wreck the bridge makes that commute much shorter as well