Byrne , also of Fort Worth . Before construction was completed , it was announced that GM had lost its contract with the Navy to produce the Grumman-designed planes . To compensate for this loss , the plant would then produce more automobiles . Production started in November 1953 . The first car , a black Pontiac , rolled off of the assembly line in January 1954 . At that time , the plant employed about 485 hourly employees and 230 salaried employees . By June , the plant employed approximately 2,000 workers . When a second shift was added in September 1955 , the number of hourly employees reached 3,000 with approximately 450 salaried employees . 10
In October 1951 , the City Commission authorized a contract with the engineering firm of Freese and Nichols of Fort Worth to create a City Plan in anticipation of the phenomenal growth associated with the arrival of the GM plant . The commission also placed a freeze on all zoning changes until the plan was completed . The plan , published in September 1952 , looked at all aspects of the city ’ s development : land-use , zoning , streets and highways , parking , airports , public schools , recreation facilities and public building sites , public utilities and administration of the plan . Of particular concern to the planners was the need for control of subdivisions , noting how some recent neighborhood developments were not well integrated with existing plats , causing for dead end streets or the need to jog from one street to the next when traveling through residential areas . Even before the plan was completed , Subdivision Rules and Regulations were formulated by the Planning and Zoning Commission and adopted by the City Commission on January 12 , 1952 in an effort to guide growth in an orderly manner . A notable recommendation of the plan was the preservation and protection of the Central Business District in response to the growth of business and retail establishments in outlaying areas of the city . The planners recognized the need for retaining an identifiable and strong commercial core within the heart of the city . 11
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
As the United States ’ post-war culture became more defined and dependent on the automobile , it became imperative that local , state , and national entities plan and build adequate transportation systems for it . Prior to the war , Arlington ’ s main east-west link to Dallas and Fort Worth was US Highway 80 . This highway ran through town on Division Street just north of the Texas and Pacific Railway line . Early industrial development on Arlington ’ s east side was located in its proximity . Following about three years of planning , the Texas Turnpike Authority broke ground for construction of an east-west Toll Road between Fort Worth and Dallas in October 1955 . Because of its prominent location midway between the two cities the Turnpike Authority located its administration building and maintenance shops in Arlington . The Toll Road was constructed north of Highway 80 and was officially opened in 1957 . Arlington was directly served by two interchanges . The interchange at State Highway 157 was centrally located within the city and connected with Collins Avenue to the south and State Highway 183 north of the turnpike . The east interchange was located at Watson School Road ( or commonly Watson Road ), also known as State Highway 360 . By late 1958 , the road was generating enough revenue to cover operating and interest expenses . 12
10 Arlington Journal , August 10 , 1951 , October 12 , 1951 , March 28 , 1952 , May 16 , 1952 , May 30 , 1952 ,
October 3 , 1952 , January 8 , 1954 , June 5 , 1954 ( special GM section ) and September 25 , 1955 .
11
See Freese and Nichols and Robert W . Caldwell , The City Plan for Arlington , Texas , 1952 : A Guide for Future Development , The City Planning and Zoning Commission , City of Arlington , Texas , 1952 . 12 Arlington Journal , December 16 , 1954 , February 3 , 1955 , September 1 , 1955 , July 4 , 1957 , August 15 ,
1957 , March 19 , 1959 .
FINAL REPORT
ARLINGTON HISTORIC RESOURCES SURVEY UPDATE
SEPTEMBER 2007
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