I-635 north Dallas redo: updates

[txstateends]

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/08/the_lbj_projects_about_to_clai.php

Work is already underway in the HOV lanes and service roads.  Now, bridge demos are upcoming:

Ratliff Walkway - August 21 (buses will take kids (who would have used the bridge while it's unavailable) to school instead)
Montfort Rd. - late September
Rosser Rd. - early October
Marsh Ln. - mid October

[txstateends]

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/08/before_lbj_express_begins_real.php

Ooops!!  Somebody already forgot something....putting the managed/tolled/HOV lanes below the main I-635 lanes would interfere with where the lanes of the Dallas North Tollway cross--*under* I-635 now!  Ummm,   yeah....

Now they're talking about spreading the main lanes wider at the Tollway interchange and bringing the tolled lanes up to at-grade in-between the main lanes of I-635 through the Tollway interchange only then back down afterward.  Lovely.  5 years, huh??

[txstateends]

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/08/heres_that_new_lbj_express_vid.php

The article introduces the vid on YouTube with the toll-lane re-design....animation starts at Welch, where the toll lanes come out from underneath, thru the Dallas North Tollway interchange, then back under before Montfort, where the video ends.

[rte66man]

Was in Dallas last week and noticed the work already being done. I especially noticed the new In-N-Out soon to open at Coit and the North frontage Road.

rte66man

[us175]

http://www.wfaa.com/home/nostalgia-lingers-for-finale-of-lbj-pedestrian-bridge-128135813.html
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/08/one_last_walk_across_the_joe_r.php

Local residents got 1 last chance to walk over the pedestrian bridge before TxDOT closed it off to start demolition.

[txstateends]

EB I-635 lanes closing in vicinity of Joe Ratcliff Walkway bridge

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/09/a_sneak_peek_at_the_hell_lbjs.php
(info and computerized flyover)

UPDATE:::
It's been postponed.  http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/09/turns_out_they_cant_demolish_t.php
The demo is being re-evaluated, but the TPTBs seem to think even with this delay, they can still get the bridge demoed and redone and open by Jan 2012.

[bassoon1986]

I'm driving that direction tomorrow going to Shreveport. I'll snag some pics.

[txstateends]

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/09/this_time_they_arent_screwing.php

Partial demo of Montfort bridge begins tonight, affecting EB I-635 traffic...video in the link shows how lanes will be closed/diverted during the demo.

[txstateends]

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/10/lbj_weekend_bridge_demos_to_cr.php

Demo will resume this weekend on the postponed Ratcliff Walkway bridge, plus part of the Marsh Lane bridge will be demoed during the weekend as well.

http://prestonhollow.advocatemag.com/2011/10/hillcrest-road-demolition-to-begin-friday/

Meanwhile, last weekend work got started to demo the bridge at Hillcrest.  I've not been near that intersection since to see if all traffic for I-635 has to still divert to the service road or if main lane traffic gets to use any remaining part of the bridge over Hillcrest.

[Chris]

http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/08/heres_that_new_lbj_express_vid.php

The article introduces the vid on YouTube with the toll-lane re-design....animation starts at Welch, where the toll lanes come out from underneath, thru the Dallas North Tollway interchange, then back under before Montfort, where the video ends.

14 through lanes. I bet there aren't many interchanges in the world which have that many lanes through an interchange.

[us175]

http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/archives/2011/10/this-time-they-mean-it-stay-aw.html
http://blogs.dallasobserver.com/unfairpark/2011/10/this_weekends_lane_closures_sh.php

Video for lane closures/shifts: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nNbZ65O213Q

Marsh Lane bridge:  partial teardown will leave 1 lane each way, but bridge is closed to access during the weekend
Ratcliff Walkway:  remainder of bridge teardown

I-635 will only have 2 lanes each direction in those areas.

[txstateends]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44993102/ns/local_news-dallas_fort_worth_tx/

Until Monday morning at 5am, the 2 left lanes of WB I-635 will be closed from Josey to I-35E.
Also during that time, the WB I-635 to SB I-35E ramp will be closed (detour west on I-635 to Luna then turn around, then east on I-635 to I-35E).

[rte66man]

Had the opportunity to be in that area this past weekend. I expected LBJ traffic to be near standstill; what I didn't expect was the narrowing of the frontage roads as well. For example, I was northbound on 75 wanting to go west to Preston Rd. I got off at Coit northbound planning on turning left on the north frontage road.  It quickly narrowed from 3 to 2 to 1 lane. Back to 2 was just a way to bait the unwary driver as it narrowed back to one lane going up the hill to Preston. Made me wich I knew the back streets better