Strategic Pillars
Through outreach and engagement with neighborhood stakeholders, four priority goals emerged as pillars that serve to frame the Deep Ellum Public Improvement District Strategic Plan. From a vast array or interests, hopes and concerns, these were the key themes that arose and were mentioned time and again. Between 2019 and 2025, the Deep Ellum Foundation is focusing on achieving the four broad goals outlined below.
Accessible & Physically Interconnected Neighborhood
Deep Ellum is closely connected to downtown and surrounding communities with multiple, easily identifiable transportation options.
The Deep Ellum Foundation is focused upon enhancing the modes of transportation in the neighborhood and creating solutions to mobility and infrastructure challenges as the neighborhood continues to grow and attract high volumes of pedestrians, bikers, motorists and more. From improving local crosswalks to advocating for bike lanes to coordinating discounted employee parking and transit opportunities, we work to make getting to and from Deep Ellum just a bit easier every day.
The Deep Ellum Designated Rideshare Drop Off and Pick Up Zone pilot program is just one example of how we are partnering across public and private sectors to advance our collective neighborhood goal of creating an accessible and physically interconnected district.
Getting to and from Deep Ellum
To ease congestion and related public safety concerns as well as enhance the customer experience in Deep Ellum, a comprehensive traffic mitigation plan went into affect for the summertime starting in 2021. The Deep Ellum Foundation, in collaboration with the City of Dallas, has designated Rideshare Flow Zones operating between 9 a.m. Thursday and 3 a.m. Sunday.
The designated Flow Zones provide customers continued access within one to two blocks of the core area of activity in Deep Ellum while improving traffic flow and emergency vehicle access. Zone identification and wayfinding signage as well as local promotion combined with geo-fencing and venue technology implemented on the rideshare apps notify rideshare customers.
In addition to Rideshare Flow Zones, Deep Ellum has expanded parking options and works to mitigate congestion through strategic street closures during the busiest nights and weekends.
The new parking garages exponentially expand convenient opportunities for patrons to access the thriving Deep Ellum Cultural District, adding more than 1,000 new spaces to the existing public parking opportunities upon surface lots underneath I-345.
The Dallas Police Department and Deep Ellum Foundation’s security team will support enforcement of the flow zones’ use as well as utilize other traffic calming measures to keep things moving during Deep Ellum’s busiest nights and weekends.