Expect motorists to roar about spring break traffic at popular Fort Worth spots.
That’s why police and city officials are planning for increased traffic around the Fort Worth Zoo and along University Drive starting March 16.
Setup for signs, barricades and other traffic management devices at North University and Colonial Parkway began March 11. Those devices will be in place until March 24, officials said.
“The biggest factor in how busy the streets will be is the weather,” said officer Buddy Calzada, a Fort Worth police spokesperson. “If the weather is nice, it will be busy.”
Fort Worth Zoo is a prime destination over spring break as families often plan outings at the westside facility, police officials said. Students from Fort Worth ISD and other local districts will be on break March 16-20.
The zoo, which hosts a spring break camp, is open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays through Fridays with weekend hours set from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.
About 15 to 20 officers will direct traffic in the area working with other city staff and zoo personnel, Calzada said.
Zoo spokesperson Avery Elander said the zoo has been a popular spring break destination for families for nearly 20 years. That takes coordination across city departments to prepare, she said.
“For the spring and summer seasons, we boost our frontline and operations staff by about 50%,” Elander said. “For next week specifically, we’ve also increased our parking team, which will work closely with the Fort Worth Police Department to help move traffic efficiently into our multiple parking lots.”
Elander said the zoo’s camp won’t operate on March 18 — when admission is half-price for Wednesdays — to improve visitors’ experiences.
“A lot of families come out on that particular day,” said Ross Douglass, president of Berkley Place Neighborhood Association. “It’s just crazy.”
Forest Park Boulevard and Park Place Avenue are the streets in the area most affected by traffic.
Motorists do a good part, for the most part, adhering to signage that bans parking, he said. The zoo and the city work with other entities to ensure traffic operations, he said.
Zoo trips
Here are tips police suggest for visiting the Fort Worth Zoo during spring break:
The zoo allows visitors to bring small coolers and outside food and drink to the park. Glass items, alcohol and disposable lids and straws are prohibited.
Buy zoo tickets in advance since lines at ticket booths will be longer than normal. General admission tickets are good for 30 days from the purchase date. Tickets are half-price on Wednesdays.
Visitors should allow extra time for traffic and parking.
Parking is prohibited on residential streets around the zoo or in the Westbend and University Park Village shopping lots where towing is enforced.
Morning visits are recommended since a visit can take up to four hours.
“Most of the time, motorists on University can travel through without significant delays because its three lanes wide in each direction, and there is room to drive around any zoo traffic that might be backed up,” Calzada said.
However, nearby Forest Park Boulevard “is only one lane in each direction, so when zoo traffic backs up, it is difficult for through traffic to get by,” he added.
Traffic on Forest Park is heaviest from 10 a.m. to noon on weekdays during spring break, officials said.
“If motorists need to get around zoo traffic, we would suggest using either Hulen Street to the west or Interstate 35 to the east, to travel between Berry Street and Interstate 30,” Calzada said. “Traffic along Berry Street is not usually impacted very much by zoo traffic.”
Dream Park — a 57,000 square-foot playground for children of all abilities located at 2001 University Drive inside Trinity Park — is another popular destination nearby.
Dream Park, a popular spring break destination, is located at 2001 University Drive inside Trinity Park. (Courtesy | City of Fort Worth)
To reach the park, police suggest motorists use the north entrance of Trinity Park near the duck pond. Those traveling from I-30 should exit Henderson Street and then go west on West 7th Street before turning south on Stayton Street to enter the park.
Inside the park, follow Trinity Park Drive to Trinity Park Court and park in the lot near Dream Park.
Fort Worth Botanic Garden is hosting a spring break camp and an exhibit called Butterflies in the Garden.
To reach the garden, police recommend motorists use Lancaster Avenue instead of using I-30 to reach University Drive.
Fort Worth officials encourage people to use FW Park, a mobile payment parking app, for city lots. Meters in downtown and other entertainment areas accept coins, cash and credit cards as well.
Low-cost transit options are available to reach hot spots without the parking hassles.
People can use Trinity Metro’s On-Demand Southside service to reach the Fort Worth Zoo and the Fort Worth Botanic Garden. Bus Route 4, which goes through the east and south sides, can take people to museums in the Cultural District. Visit GoPassTM.org to download the app and buy transit passes.
Eric E. Garcia is senior business reporter at the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at eric.garcia@fortworthreport.org.
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