CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — The SEA District is known to many as a great spot for entertainment and family fun.
The district houses Hurricane Alley, Whataburger Field and the Art Museum of South Texas. But Thursday, 3NEWS heard from one local prominent businessman who said getting customers to businesses in the area is becoming difficult.
Bill Durrill with Durrill Properties said the current set up of one-way streets in the area is making it difficult for customers. He's asking the city to consider opening Padre Street as a two-way street.
Safety is on the top of his mind when it comes to the prevention of wrong way drivers.
"It would be best if those two exits, Power Street and Padre were closed to eliminate the problem of the wrong way drivers getting on the Harbor Bridge in the first place," he said.
But that's not Durrill's only proposal to the city and TxDOT.
"So historically, this has been a two-way street that has allowed access from the uptown down to the SEA District, but as you can tell now, they've closed it off and made it a one-way out of the SEA District," he said.
Durrill said that the closures are making it more difficult for customers to access SEA District businesses.
"To get down to the SEA District, you have to go around Concrete Street and all the way around to Whataburger Field, the back way," he said.
Rickey Dailey with TxDOT sent 3NEWS the following statement:
TxDOT is open to Mr. Durrill's proposal. But TxDOT would request concurrence from the city due to the effect that (it) could have on traffic using city streets in the area.
With summer around the corner, Durrill feels signage around the Harbor Bridge needs to be enhanced.
"It's already confusing enough, and it really needs to be taken a hard look at on the visible signage that already got to direct the traffic properly," he said.
Along with additional enhanced signage for the Harbor Bridge, Durrill has suggested directing traffic to exit left on Twigg Street in order to access the downtown and SEA District areas.
3NEWS reached out to the city, who referred the team to TxDOT for follow up questions after meeting with Durrill.
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