The Grapevine City Council met briefly Oct. 2 to approve a contract with NorthGate Constructors to relocate utilities for an upcoming transportation project and to restrict parking along two streets in downtown Grapevine.

With the expectation that SH 121 traffic near Grapevine Mills will nearly double by 2025, work began this summer to relieve bottlenecks that commonly occur along a three-mile strip of the roadway.

The $370 million Texas Department of Transportation project includes rebuilding and widening SH 121 north of the Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport to accommodate new interchanges at I-635 and FM 2499. The Bass Pro Drive bridge in Grapevine will also be widened to six lanes and reconstructed along with the frontage roads of Bass Pro Drive, SH 121 and FM 2499.

The council unanimously approved—with council member Sharon Rodgers abstaining—an agreement on Tuesday to have NorthGate Constructors relocate water and wastewater facilities for the project. Relocating the utilities has a cost estimate of $7.2 million, and the city's portion of this project will be funded from its Utility Enterprise Capital Fund.

In other business, the Council approved a consent agenda item to prohibit parking in some areas of downtown Grapevine.

The council unanimously voted Oct. 2 to prohibit parking on two blocks: On the north side of W. Franklin Street from S. Church Street to S. Barton Street, and on the east side of S. Church Street from W. Dallas Road to W. Nash Street.

According to city documents, both roads are only 24 feet in width, which in turn restricts access to fire and safety vehicles. Parking is already restricted on one side of the street in these two locations.

"No parking" signs will be placed on both sides of these roads.