DFW Projects Thread

[05danper42842]

Any got information on that PGBT Direct Connector to 360 Tollway. Supposedly is a dedicated direct connector for traffic not having to merge on I 20 traffic.

[MaxConcrete]

Any got information on that PGBT Direct Connector to 360 Tollway. Supposedly is a dedicated direct connector for traffic not having to merge on I 20 traffic.

The project is mentioned occasionally in NCTCOG proceedings, but I don't see anything about it on the NTTA site.

I'm thinking that nothing is imminent for this project, and NTTA has higher priorities including the 360 Tollway extension and Bush Turnpike East Branch.

[Road Hog]

The direct connection from Preston Road to DNT southbound is a winner all the way, but getting on the ramp requires a sharp left merge out of the traffic signal and that leaves me uncomfortable unless I have a full green.

[05danper42842]

Any got information on that PGBT Direct Connector to 360 Tollway. Supposedly is a dedicated direct connector for traffic not having to merge on I 20 traffic.

The project is mentioned occasionally in NCTCOG proceedings, but I don't see anything about it on the NTTA site.

I'm thinking that nothing is imminent for this project, and NTTA has higher priorities including the 360 Tollway extension and Bush Turnpike East Branch.

I found it here.
https://www.txdot.gov/projects/hearings-meetings/fort-worth/2024/i20-arlington-grand-prairie-corridor-study.html

[05danper42842]

The most anticipated project that I am waiting for is the US 175/I-20/I-635 Interchange. I often drive on it and traffic becomes a bumper to bumper slow standstill to get on some flyover ramps such as 635 SB headed to US 175. Another issue is that if your headed on I-20WB  to US 175 EB you have to merge through 3 lanes in 350 feet or less or you can use Belt Line. I have seen aparments pop up along US 175 near Woody Drive. More development is coming to us 175 at crandall at a fast rate. If TXDOT doesn't act fast it might become ver similar US 380 but if it was delayed by much more time/years. This interchange should be named the "SouthEast Dallas MixMaster".

[-- US 175 --]

The most anticipated project that I am waiting for is the US 175/I-20/I-635 Interchange. I often drive on it and traffic becomes a bumper to bumper slow standstill to get on some flyover ramps such as 635 SB headed to US 175. Another issue is that if your headed on I-20WB  to US 175 EB you have to merge through 3 lanes in 350 feet or less or you can use Belt Line. I have seen aparments pop up along US 175 near Woody Drive. More development is coming to us 175 at crandall at a fast rate. If TXDOT doesn't act fast it might become ver similar US 380 but if it was delayed by much more time/years. This interchange should be named the "SouthEast Dallas MixMaster".

I'm sure many who use US 175 to commute into Dallas are looking forward to improvements at that interchange.  My guess (without any mockup drawings to look at) would be that they will likely do longer ramps (a-la US 75/I-635 or I-35E/I-635 interchanges) to connect separately to each of the freeways to remedy the mixing/merging/weaving action between US 175 and the I-20/I-635 split.

[BJ59]

The most anticipated project that I am waiting for is the US 175/I-20/I-635 Interchange. I often drive on it and traffic becomes a bumper to bumper slow standstill to get on some flyover ramps such as 635 SB headed to US 175. Another issue is that if your headed on I-20WB  to US 175 EB you have to merge through 3 lanes in 350 feet or less or you can use Belt Line. I have seen aparments pop up along US 175 near Woody Drive. More development is coming to us 175 at crandall at a fast rate. If TXDOT doesn't act fast it might become ver similar US 380 but if it was delayed by much more time/years. This interchange should be named the "SouthEast Dallas MixMaster".

I'm sure many who use US 175 to commute into Dallas are looking forward to improvements at that interchange.  My guess (without any mockup drawings to look at) would be that they will likely do longer ramps (a-la US 75/I-635 or I-35E/I-635 interchanges) to connect separately to each of the freeways to remedy the mixing/merging/weaving action between US 175 and the I-20/I-635 split.

Seems like a similar problem to the problem at the I-20/I-820/US-287 interchange in Fort Worth that they are currently fixing. I think the design US 175 mentioned is the kind of design they are doing at the I-820/US-287/I-20 interchange, where they are creating separate ramps for each highway to avoid merging. It will be interesting to see how this works once they finish the project in Fort Worth and if the Dallas district will use this solution for the US-175/I-20/I-635 interchange

[Chris]

10 years of 'Amazonification' of the south side of Dallas:

[ZLoth]

From Dallas Morning News:

Closure of I-30 to Highway 75 interchange in Dallas starts Tuesday
TxDOT will reroute traffic for ongoing bridge maintenance.
FULL ARTICLE HERE

From MSN:
Closure of I-30 to Highway 75 interchange in Dallas starts Tuesday
FULL ARTICLE HERE

[debragga]

The most anticipated project that I am waiting for is the US 175/I-20/I-635 Interchange. I often drive on it and traffic becomes a bumper to bumper slow standstill to get on some flyover ramps such as 635 SB headed to US 175. Another issue is that if your headed on I-20WB  to US 175 EB you have to merge through 3 lanes in 350 feet or less or you can use Belt Line. I have seen aparments pop up along US 175 near Woody Drive. More development is coming to us 175 at crandall at a fast rate. If TXDOT doesn't act fast it might become ver similar US 380 but if it was delayed by much more time/years. This interchange should be named the "SouthEast Dallas MixMaster".

I'm not sure how legally binding this sign is, but you're very clearly not supposed to go from I-20 WB to US-175 EB. The I-20 WB to US-175 WB movement isn't much better with the exit being right after the EB exit but you only have to get over 2 lanes.

That ramp to 175 EB can definitely be a bear in peak times. I lived in Crandall/Combine as a teenager and drove it frequently almost 10 years ago and it was bad enough then, I can't imagine how bad it must be now with the city council dam finally bursting to allow developments in Crandall.

[-- US 175 --]

The most anticipated project that I am waiting for is the US 175/I-20/I-635 Interchange. I often drive on it and traffic becomes a bumper to bumper slow standstill to get on some flyover ramps such as 635 SB headed to US 175. Another issue is that if your headed on I-20WB  to US 175 EB you have to merge through 3 lanes in 350 feet or less or you can use Belt Line. I have seen aparments pop up along US 175 near Woody Drive. More development is coming to us 175 at crandall at a fast rate. If TXDOT doesn't act fast it might become ver similar US 380 but if it was delayed by much more time/years. This interchange should be named the "SouthEast Dallas MixMaster".

I'm not sure how legally binding this sign is, but you're very clearly not supposed to go from I-20 WB to US-175 EB. The I-20 WB to US-175 WB movement isn't much better with the exit being right after the EB exit but you only have to get over 2 lanes.

That ramp to 175 EB can definitely be a bear in peak times. I lived in Crandall/Combine as a teenager and drove it frequently almost 10 years ago and it was bad enough then, I can't imagine how bad it must be now with the city council dam finally bursting to allow developments in Crandall.

Seagoville, Crandall, and Kaufman all have new/recent retail and restaurants.  All have the potential to add more traffic on US 175.

Besides that, economic/residential activity has increased around Cedar Creek Lake, also increasing traffic.  Over the years, truck traffic has also increased on US 175 (many use it as well as US 69 south to Beaumont as a bypass around Houston).  With completion of the final parts of US 175's widening (between Frankston and Jacksonville) to 4 lanes in the next 4 years, that will have the potential to add further capacity to the highway.

More traffic and economic development in Crandall have already taken their toll.  The service roads at the FM 148 exit now have cracks and potholes from heavy trucks.  There is talk of a signal coming to town (Crandall hasn't ever had one), to a corner where only a 4-way stop has been before.

[debragga]

The most anticipated project that I am waiting for is the US 175/I-20/I-635 Interchange. I often drive on it and traffic becomes a bumper to bumper slow standstill to get on some flyover ramps such as 635 SB headed to US 175. Another issue is that if your headed on I-20WB  to US 175 EB you have to merge through 3 lanes in 350 feet or less or you can use Belt Line. I have seen aparments pop up along US 175 near Woody Drive. More development is coming to us 175 at crandall at a fast rate. If TXDOT doesn't act fast it might become ver similar US 380 but if it was delayed by much more time/years. This interchange should be named the "SouthEast Dallas MixMaster".

I'm not sure how legally binding this sign is, but you're very clearly not supposed to go from I-20 WB to US-175 EB. The I-20 WB to US-175 WB movement isn't much better with the exit being right after the EB exit but you only have to get over 2 lanes.

That ramp to 175 EB can definitely be a bear in peak times. I lived in Crandall/Combine as a teenager and drove it frequently almost 10 years ago and it was bad enough then, I can't imagine how bad it must be now with the city council dam finally bursting to allow developments in Crandall.

Seagoville, Crandall, and Kaufman all have new/recent retail and restaurants.  All have the potential to add more traffic on US 175.

Besides that, economic/residential activity has increased around Cedar Creek Lake, also increasing traffic.  Over the years, truck traffic has also increased on US 175 (many use it as well as US 69 south to Beaumont as a bypass around Houston).  With completion of the final parts of US 175's widening (between Frankston and Jacksonville) to 4 lanes in the next 4 years, that will have the potential to add further capacity to the highway.

More traffic and economic development in Crandall have already taken their toll.  The service roads at the FM 148 exit now have cracks and potholes from heavy trucks.  There is talk of a signal coming to town (Crandall hasn't ever had one), to a corner where only a 4-way stop has been before.

I'm still in the Crandall community Facebook groups, the word there that city council members heard from TxDOT is that the order of operations will be:
FM 148 bypass completion -> US 175 service roads in Crandall get converted to one-way -> see how those help traffic at the intersection of US-175 and what is currently FM 148 and determine if a traffic light is needed. I also saw on there that FM 741 was supposed to be lengthened to go down to FM 3039 at some point, maybe all of those changes will delay the need for traffic lights a while longer. I know I would have loved to have had those options when I was in high school and traffic in town was a total shitshow before and after school. It's still crazy how a town with a 5A school (mainly due to Heartland while I was there at least, though the jump to 5A was right after I graduated) can have no traffic lights and so few food options, but those things seem to be changing.

[Road Hog]

I am familiar with Ellis County and they are bracing for growth as all get out. If Kaufman is getting blind-sided by it, that's on them, sorry.

[05danper42842]

Kaufman for sure acting blind. You can see the growth[1] just by driving along US 175 and you see apartments being built out of nowhere. I have seen in many Kaufman Facebook groups and many have said "There is a need for a South to North Highway". I have driven in crandall and every month traffic gets worse during peak times. Right now they are doing a feasibility study on US 175 for potential widening and continuous frontage roads [2].
[1]Adams, Christopher. "New Population Estimates Reveal Which Areas of Texas Are Growing the Fastest." KXAN, 28 Mar. 2022, www.kxan.com/news/texas/maps-which-texas-counties-are-growing-the-fastest/.
[2]https://www.kaufmancounty.net/DocumentCenter/View/7602/09-September-2024-Kaufman-County-Transportation-Report

[-- US 175 --]

Kaufman for sure acting blind. You can see the growth[1] just by driving along US 175 and you see apartments being built out of nowhere. I have seen in many Kaufman Facebook groups and many have said "There is a need for a South to North Highway". I have driven in crandall and every month traffic gets worse during peak times. Right now they are doing a feasibility study on US 175 for potential widening and continuous frontage roads [2].
[1]Adams, Christopher. "New Population Estimates Reveal Which Areas of Texas Are Growing the Fastest." KXAN, 28 Mar. 2022, www.kxan.com/news/texas/maps-which-texas-counties-are-growing-the-fastest/.
[2]https://www.kaufmancounty.net/DocumentCenter/View/7602/09-September-2024-Kaufman-County-Transportation-Report

Kaufman County, NCTCOG, and TxDOT are all looking into what can be done throughout the county--Seagoville to Mabank--on US 175.

[Road Hog]

Kaufman County will soon be facing the same dilemma with north-south mobility that Collin County is currently facing with east-west mobility.

[Bobby5280]

For improving regional connectivity (and dealing with growing traffic burdens) they'll probably have to extend the US-175 freeway from its current end in Kaufman thru Mabank and farther to Loop 7 in Athens. And then the existing 2x2 freeway running from I-20 to Kaufman will probably have to be widened to 3x3 lanes.

Of course, improving US-175 would be yet another corridor to add to the list of busy corridors in the DFW region needing serious upgrades.

[debragga]

US-175 from I-20 to the Dallas/Kaufman County line has needed to be 3x3 for at least a decade now. Honestly it needs to be entirely rebuilt from I-45 all the way to Kaufman, the original short entrance/exit ramps from the 50s and 60s are still there and they're very dangerous in heavy traffic moving 70.

[debragga]

Kaufman County will soon be facing the same dilemma with north-south mobility that Collin County is currently facing with east-west mobility.

Try getting to Rockwall from anywhere in Kaufman County without cutting over and using I-635, it's a nightmare. Terrell even has a direct connection in TX-205 but that's a traffic light filled mess.

[05danper42842]

I want to say that the KCOL Team came and revealed to me that the Kaumfan County Outer Loop will only have 2 General Main Lanes in each direction when fully built. I am shocked is only 2 general main lanes if it was 3 at minimum would been perfect. I thought the Unofficial Standards for min lanes in a controlled access highways was 3 in each direction.

[05danper42842]

Any got information on that PGBT Direct Connector to 360 Tollway. Supposedly is a dedicated direct connector for traffic not having to merge on I 20 traffic.

The project is mentioned occasionally in NCTCOG proceedings, but I don't see anything about it on the NTTA site.

I'm thinking that nothing is imminent for this project, and NTTA has higher priorities including the 360 Tollway extension and Bush Turnpike East Branch.

A news Article was found that said the direct connector will go on top like a elevated roadway connecting PGBT and 360 Tollway without getting on I 20.
https://fortworthreport.org/2024/03/05/2-1b-txdot-project-aims-to-enhance-interstate-20-through-arlington/

[Bobby5280]

I thought the Unofficial Standards for min lanes in a controlled access highways was 3 in each direction.

2 lanes in each direction is by far the most common configuration for Interstate quality freeways/turnpikes. Portions of some Interstates do have considerably long stretches in 3x3 configuration (or even 4x4), but the traffic levels need to be high enough to justify it.

TX DOT usually leaves plenty of room for expansion on new freeway/toll road builds. Portions of the Grand Parkway in metro Houston are just dinky Super 2. But there is enough right of way to add the second roadway when the funding is available.

I expect a bunch of Dallas' outer loop will start out in 2x2 configuration. Some of it may even just be Super 2. They'll add extra lanes in various locations when needed.

[Road Hog]

Kaufman County will soon be facing the same dilemma with north-south mobility that Collin County is currently facing with east-west mobility.

Try getting to Rockwall from anywhere in Kaufman County without cutting over and using I-635, it's a nightmare. Terrell even has a direct connection in TX-205 but that's a traffic light filled mess.

Been there, done that. I took a route from Forney to Rockwall once that almost got me stuck on an utterly unimproved river bottom road.

[Chris]

I found this recent-ish photo of the new SH 199 bridge across Lake Worth, west of Fort Worth. It is scheduled to open soon.

Evidently they will upgrade some 2.5 miles to freeway standard, but not all the way to I-820 (yet). According to the TxDOT project tracker, this project will be completed by September 2025. Google Earth shows that construction of the section west of the bridge is less advanced.

[MaxConcrete]

I found this recent-ish photo of the new SH 199 bridge across Lake Worth, west of Fort Worth. It is scheduled to open soon.

Evidently they will upgrade some 2.5 miles to freeway standard, but not all the way to I-820 (yet). According to the TxDOT project tracker, this project will be completed by September 2025. Google Earth shows that construction of the section west of the bridge is less advanced.

The section of SH 199 from the bridge to Loop 820, including the interchange at Loop 820, is the subject of an upcoming public meeting.

The missing section of SH 199 seems like it has been on hold for a long time. The last information I remember, from many years ago, is that there were three design alternatives for the interchange at Loop 820. The public meeting indicates that planning is proceeding and hopefully there is a recommended alternative for the Loop 820 interchange.