DFW Projects Thread

[txstateends]

Is the Chisholm Trail Parkway considered part of State Highway 121? I believe it was planned as such, but it doesn't have continous frontage roads.

It's supposed to be, but you'll only see TX 121 signs if there are any sections with service roads.  Otherwise you'll only see Chisholm Trail-NTTA signs, and it will be like TX 161 and TX 190, they are discontinuous since there's not full service road availability along the Bush Turnpike.

[MaxConcrete]

Here are some photos of the opening event for the Chisholm Trail Parkway, Saturday May 10, 2014. The weather was nearly perfect (only windy) and the crowd was huge. Landscaping is not yet underway, but based on the some of the structures along the road for the landscaping, this looks like it will easily be the most extensively landscaped freeway/tollway in North Texas.


The Texas flag flies on the bridge with the crowd at the staging area on Edwards Ranch Road below.


The bicyclists gather just before the three biking events.


Bikers pass through the start.


View from Arborlawn Drive, about 2.5 km south.


Looking south from Arborlawn. The IH 20 interchange (not yet finished) is ahead.
Click http://oscarmail.net/photos/ctp/20140510_ctp_n_0292_large.jpg for a high resolution image and a better view.


Runners gather for the 5K


Runners going southbound


Runners returning northbound

[wxfree]

Is the Chisholm Trail Parkway considered part of State Highway 121? I believe it was planned as such, but it doesn't have continous frontage roads.

I wonder about that.  The SH 121 highway designation file describes the road as extending all the way to US 67, but the agreement with NTTA over building the road says that it's removed from the state highway system, like other NTTA roads.  Since there are no frontage roads, I'm not sure how to mesh those two things.  I haven't been to the area yet to see if they put up SH 121 signs along I-35W and I-30 connecting 121 with CTP.  I doubt they'll do that, but it'll give a clue if they do.

[wxfree]

I went to the ceremony Friday at the county line.  I'd never made it to one before, and it was mostly boring.  There was a bit of interesting historical insight from some of the older speakers, so overall it was worth going to.

The main opening event for the CTP in Fort Worth was huge and definitely not boring. There were thousands of people there - at least 2000 in the 5K, another 2000 on bicycles and probably another couple thousand people for the kids events and accompanying participants. Large field areas were set aside for parking, and the main area fill up and overflowed to another pasture.

I took a large number of photos and will post some later today. This was the largest-ever freeway opening in Fort Worth. I'm going to update the DFW Freeways ebook http://www.dfwfreeways.com/

The event I was referring to was the opening ceremony, on Friday morning on the road at the county line.  Current and former elected and appointed officials congratulating each other.  We were on the Tarrant County side, and some cattle were in a pen on the Johnson County side.  The ribbon cutting was with a piece of rope right along the county line.  It was mostly boring back-patting, but worth going to because of the historical insight and inside stories.

I was out of the area Saturday and didn't see the big event.

[txstateends]

More on the Chisholm Trail opening:
http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/05/03/5788132/chisholm-trail-parkway-ready-to.html
http://www.star-telegram.com/2014/05/11/5810864/slow-opening-for-chisholm-trail.html

[wxfree]

Is the Chisholm Trail Parkway considered part of State Highway 121? I believe it was planned as such, but it doesn't have continous frontage roads.

The south end of the road in Cleburne opened at about 7:15.  Northbound traffic is forced to exit to Montgomery St. since the connectors to I-30 aren't open yet.  The way south was blocked, so I paralleled the road until I got to an open southbound ramp, which was at FM 1902.  By that time someone was already going south from one of the open ramps to the north.

I quoted that because, when paralleling the parkway, I drove on a short stretch of southbound frontage road near I-20.  At at least one place it has Sam Rayburn Tollway-like signs, with a regular SH 121 sign above one that says "frontage roads only."  I'm pretty sure where I saw that was at Overton Ridge Blvd. on the northbound frontage road.  I didn't see any on the southbound road I drove on.  I guess that means there's about a mile-and-a-half of SH 121, disjointed from the rest of it, between Arborlawn Dr. and Overton Ridge Blvd.

[dfwtbear]

Dallas North Tollway to get additional lanes, new turnpike interchange.

See the article below for details:

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/transportation/20140520-dallas-north-tollway-to-get-additional-lanes-new-turnpike-interchange.ece

[Brian556]

Just noticed that Google Maps has tagged the Chisholm Trail Pkwy as SH 121.

[wxfree]

Just noticed that Google Maps has tagged the Chisholm Trail Pkwy as SH 121.

I've been watching as they added pieces of the road to the maps, some mainlanes here and a ramp or two there.  You still can't get directions along the CTP, so it isn't fully in their systems yet.  They started showing the full length of the road just today (yesterday, Thursday).  I notice that they correctly show SH 121 along the frontage roads of the Sam Rayburn Tollway.  This road, without continuous frontage roads, and with no frontage roads at all except for a short piece, is more confusing.  TxDOT shows SH 121 as designated to US 67, but the mainlanes were removed from the state highway system in the agreement with NTTA.  I guess that means that if frontage roads are added in the future, those will be 121, as the current short frontage roads are.  My interpretation is that SH 121 exists southbound between Arborlawn and Overton Ridge, and northbound from Overton Ridge to the 183 north frontage road, and that it will exist along future frontage roads, if constructed.  Google's label may be more political than technical.  It may help people who expect "121" to be the new road, but since there are no signs showing that designation, except along the short frontage roads, it may be more misleading than helpful.

[txstateends]

Highway interchange still causes problems at rush hour

http://impactnews.com/dfw-metro/grapevine-colleyville-southlake/highway-interchange-still-causes-problems-at-rush-hour/

The way that the TX 114-TX 170 interchange has been built has caused some problems, mostly bottlenecking due to lane configuration.

[txstateends]

http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/05/i-30-corridor-on-new-txdot-priority-list-but-u-s-75-looks-like-afterthought.html/

TxDOT's Dallas district discusses future area projects with local leaders

Here's a map showing what TxDOT wants to do, but funding isn't there for all of them yet.  The article unfortunately doesn't describe each project on the map in any real detail.

[txstateends]

http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/05/state-approves-long-sought-renovation-of-state-highway-183.html/

Meanwhile, the TX Transportation Commission has voted to go on with plans to redo TX 183 between the south side of DFW Airport and I-35E.  Later this year, the work will start and is expected to finish up in 2018.

[Chris]

The elevated toll lanes along I-35E will open to traffic soon.

[txstateends]

The elevated toll lanes along I-35E will open to traffic soon.

....but not this weekend, as apparently was planned.  Another week or so was needed by TxDOT to clear up 'finishing touches'.  The pic is of WB I-635 before I-35E, with the BWS displaying the variable toll rates to take the almost-open tolled express elevated lanes--when they are open. 

[txstateends]

http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/07/txdots-study-of-interstate-30-redo-will-consider-lowering-road-prepping-for-a-deck-park.html/

Meanwhile, across town, TxDOT is looking into the future possibility of lowering and decking I-30 east of downtown so it will 'reconnect' Fair Park with Deep Ellum, 2 areas that city leaders feel would be revitalized if I-30 weren't such a visible barrier.  The drawing is an imagined deck park and crossing for Exposition Avenue.

[txstateends]

http://www.dallasnews.com/news/transportation/20140711-collin-county-officials-push-back-against-u.s.-75-toll-plan.ece
http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/2014/07/collin-county-leaders-ask-txdot-not-to-toll-central-hov-lanes.html/

Now, as if TxDOT didn't have enough bright ideas, they're trying to float the idea of tolling the US 75-N. Central Expwy. HOV lanes between Allen and I-635 in Dallas.  The linkies say Collin County, north of Dallas, has come out decidedly against the plan.  That comes on the heels of Richardson letting TxDOT know how they feel almost since the minute the possibility of the tolling plan hit the media.  The biggest thing about Richardson's objection is that when the HOV lane was implemented, there was no moves made to allow for openings to/from the HOV lanes within their city, and now still won't be with the tolling proposition.  Several people have expressed the opinion that US 75's HOVs would be better as free lanes, but the state says they'd have to return any Federal $$$ back to them if that were to happen.  So far, no firm decision has been made, but every time a tolling proposal has been brought up regarding the DFW area, it's usually rubber-stamped and made so (the controversial and yet-to-be-built (and I hope it's not!!!!) Trinity Parkway toll road not withstanding).

[rte66man]

The elevated toll lanes along I-35E will open to traffic soon.

Am I just not seeing it or is there no direct connection between the I35E elevated lances and the eastbound I635 toll lanes?

[wxfree]

The elevated toll lanes along I-35E will open to traffic soon.

Am I just not seeing it or is there no direct connection between the I35E elevated lances and the eastbound I635 toll lanes?

There is no such connection, since those lanes are not yet open.  Connections are planned for the managed lanes, main lanes, and frontage road, when everything is complete, as shown on this map  http://www.lbjtexpress.com/sites/lbjtexpresslanes.com/files/lbj_texpress_lanes_map_1.pdf

[Chris]

The I-35E elevated toll lanes opened to traffic last night.

[dariusb]

^Looks like no one's using them.

[Bobby5280]

The compressed, telephoto lens effect on this image makes the new I-35E Tex Express elevated toll lanes look like some kind of roller coaster ride.

[Road Hog]

Are you SURE Exit 439 is for Royal Lane? 

[txstateends]

http://res.dallasnews.com/interactives/batch_plant/

An inside look at the concrete-making process for the downtown Dallas 'Horseshoe' project.  Currently the completion is set for Summer 2017 for the redo of the I-30 and I-35E bridges over the Trinity River, as well as their meeting point in the Mixmaster.

[rte66man]

http://res.dallasnews.com/interactives/batch_plant/

An inside look at the concrete-making process for the downtown Dallas 'Horseshoe' project.  Currently the completion is set for Summer 2017 for the redo of the I-30 and I-35E bridges over the Trinity River, as well as their meeting point in the Mixmaster.

Wow. I had no idea.  This is a GREAT article.  THanks for sharing.

[txstateends]

Some linkies I found in a local forum:

Dallas Business Journal list of some of the upcoming DFW-area projects
http://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/blog/2014/05/more-large-highway-projects-and-toll-lanes-on-the.html?page=all

Map of current/future area projects, with timelines and co$ts (2 versions)
https://www.dallaschamber.org/files/2014DFWFactSheet/AroundtheRegion%20-%20Major%20Transportation%20Construction%20Projects2%20-%20180-181.pdf
http://www.keepitmovingdallas.com/sites/default/files/docs/0273_040814_Dallas%20District%20Projects_WEBSITE%20White%20Paper.pdf