Smith County jury parking to move during construction

TYLER — Smith County residents summoned to appear for Smith County Jury Duty are being asked to change where they park during construction of the County’s parking garage. For many years, jurors have parked in the large lot on East Ferguson Street but now, those reporting for duty are being asked to park in the Fair Plaza Parking Garage, located at 208. S. College Avenue. The walking distance from the parking garage to the Smith County Courthouse, located at 100 N. Broadway Avenue, is 733 feet, while the parking lot on Ferguson Street is 852 feet from the Courthouse. It is free to park in the Fair Plaza Garage on all four floors, except for the reserved spaces. Jurors are asked to park on the third and fourth floors. The City of Tyler has also agreed to allow Smith County to bag some of the meters, when needed in the future, for visitor parking and additional handicap parking around the Courthouse and the Annex Building.

“The City of Tyler is graciously helping us solve a big parking issue by opening up the fourth floor of the Fair Plaza Garage for Smith County jurors,” Smith County Judge Neal Franklin said. “We appreciate them working with us on this important project.”

Construction of the County’s new voter-approved, bond-funded parking garage will begin in late October, but County employee parking will most likely be displaced earlier when demolition of the current parking lot, as well as fiber/cable relocation begins. When that happens, hundreds of Smith County employees working in the Annex and surrounding buildings will be displaced for parking and will take over the juror parking lot on Ferguson Street.

“We want to start getting the word out now about the juror parking move so people will be used to the idea well before the lot is no longer available to them,” Franklin said.

Signage will be added to the Smith County parking lot, as well as at the Fair Plaza Garage entrance, located off of College Avenue.

Franklin is working with the IT Department and District Clerk’s Office to change the parking address on the jury summons going out in the future. The jury summons includes an option to sign up for email and text alerts regarding the jury service. The District Clerk’s Office plans to send alerts to the affected jurors that the parking location has changed.

Build time for the parking garage is expected to be 10 months. Demolition of the County-acquired properties on the east side of the downtown square will take place during construction of the parking garage. Construction of the Courthouse will begin after the parking garage is completed.

“The decision to build on the east side of the square was based on limiting interruption to downtown businesses,” Franklin said. “We are committed to work alongside City officials and our construction team to keep the lines of communication open with the public and all of our downtown businesses and residents.”

Courthouse business will continue as usual in the current Courthouse until construction is complete on the new Courthouse and all offices can be moved.

For more information about the project, click here.

For more information about jury duty, click here.