DFW Projects Thread

[AsphaltPlanet]

This project is a couple of years old, but I'm posting these photos of the TX-114 freeway that was widened as part of the North Tarrant Express project that I took back in November of last year.

Easterly view along Highway 114 passing beneath the eastbound lanes of Highway 121:


Hwy 114 looking westerly from the William Tate overpass:


Easterly view along Hwy 114 and 121 from the Texan Trail overpass:



Easterly view at the split between Hwy 121 and 114 near the Airport.

The entire collection, and high-resolution images can be found here:
http://www.asphaltplanet.ca/TX/TX/114/index.html

[rantanamo]

you mean, the DFW Connector? 

[rantanamo]

Reviving this thread. I've laid my eyes on Project Pegasus, and check out the construction camera views.
http://dallashorseshoe.com/about/project-earthcam/
Source is dallashorseshoe.com

The earthcam seems to be unavailable at this moment, but the collection of aerial photos is quite impressive
http://dallashorseshoe.com/photos/aerial-photos/

For example, this photo shows the new bridge for I-30 which will be about four times as wide as the existing bridge.

Probably because they want it to have Texpress lanes. The clearance is too low for them to do it like I-635 did, so I think that's why it's so much wider (looks like 14 or 16 total lanes, 4 free lanes each way, 4 Texpress each way).

The reason it will be so wide is because it has seperate east/west bike/pedestrian crossing, 8 frontage lanes, 1 reversible HOV land and 10 mainlanes for for 19 car lanes and 21 total lanes.

[noelbotevera]

Reviving this thread. I've laid my eyes on Project Pegasus, and check out the construction camera views.
http://dallashorseshoe.com/about/project-earthcam/
Source is dallashorseshoe.com

The earthcam seems to be unavailable at this moment, but the collection of aerial photos is quite impressive
http://dallashorseshoe.com/photos/aerial-photos/

For example, this photo shows the new bridge for I-30 which will be about four times as wide as the existing bridge.
(snipped)

Probably because they want it to have Texpress lanes. The clearance is too low for them to do it like I-635 did, so I think that's why it's so much wider (looks like 14 or 16 total lanes, 4 free lanes each way, 4 Texpress each way).

(snipped)

The reason it will be so wide is because it has seperate east/west bike/pedestrian crossing, 8 frontage lanes, 1 reversible HOV land and 10 mainlanes for for 19 car lanes and 21 total lanes.

I heard that this is a start for a Texpress lane system throughout all of DFW, and it would start at I-35E and run to Fort Worth. Is that correct?

[AsphaltPlanet]

you mean, the DFW Connector? 

I guess I do.  I had mistakenly thought that all of the tolled express lanes in that part of the county were being built under that umbrella.

[Chris]

Great photos of the DFW Connector.

Here's a comparison of FM 2499 (Grapevine Mills Parkway) that's apparently the last leg of the DFW Connector project.

[noelbotevera]

Sorry to bump, but there are a couple of questions I have about the NTE:

1) Why did TXDOT take a lot more ROW than needed for the toll lanes on TX 121/183? the freeway/ROW is over 400 feet in some places.

2) Couldn't they have put the Texpress lanes under TX 121/183 to save space rather than taking a lot of land, and also widening TX 121/183 in the process?

3) If I'm wrong with both questions, did this have less of a budget than I-635's Texpress lanes?

[MaxConcrete]

Sorry to bump, but there are a couple of questions I have about the NTE:

1) Why did TXDOT take a lot more ROW than needed for the toll lanes on TX 121/183? the freeway/ROW is over 400 feet in some places.

The only substantial corridor widening was from Hurstview to Norwood. Elsewhere along the corridor, right-of-way acquisition was minimal.
A wide corridor is needed to fit all the lanes, up to 400 feet in places but I think sections are less, maybe 350 feet wide.

2) Couldn't they have put the Texpress lanes under TX 121/183 to save space rather than taking a lot of land, and also widening TX 121/183 in the process?

Stacking the lanes would have been much more expensive. This is a toll project, which is more sensitive to cost than non-toll projects. On I-635, the stacking was needed because of a policy of minimal right-of-way acquisition (yes, that was also a toll project but determined to be toll feasible).

3) If I'm wrong with both questions, did this have less of a budget than I-635's Texpress lanes?

Yes, the budget was less. It was around $1.15 billion for that phase of construction of the NTE, and Texpress lanes on I-635 started at $2.7 billion had a final cost around $3 billion.

[wxfree]

How many people here have used the new westbound-to-southbound connector in the Mixmaster?  You probably get accustomed to it, but I've only been there twice (and generally wouldn't be there more than once every few years), and to me it seems really steep.  It has to be steep to get from I-30 down low and cross over the through lanes, but that slope combined with the curve makes it feel like a roller coaster.

My grandmother, who's very afraid of heights, has been over the highest bridge at I-35W and I-20, which is high, but the slope is so smooth and consistent that she doesn't notice the height unless it's pointed out (she doesn't like it being pointed out).  I've done a bit of climbing in the Guadalupe Mountains and in the Big Bend, and I've stood at the top of a couple of cliffs thousands of feet high.  I have no fear of heights, but even I find that ascent and curve a little intimidating.  I'd hate to be stuck in stop-and-go traffic on that climb with a manual transmission.

[noelbotevera]

3) If I'm wrong with both questions, did this have less of a budget than I-635's Texpress lanes?

Yes, the budget was less. It was around $1.15 billion for that phase of construction of the NTE, and Texpress lanes on I-635 started at $2.7 billion had a final cost around $3 billion.

That makes sense, as you said that stacking the lanes are more expensive. For I-635, it seems they had enough money to do that.

[Brian556]

I-35E Lake Lewisville Bridge:

[brownpelican]

What are we looking at here? Six lanes southbound only?

[MaxConcrete]

I drove around DFW Saturday and here are some observations

Horseshoe (I-35E/I-30 interchange)
Lots of piers in place at the interchange. The south arch is done. The north arch is in progress.

SH 183 Midtown Express (Irving)
Mostly in the right-of-way preparation and utility relocation phase. There are a couple short sections of westbound frontage road in place. The frontage road is asphalt, not concrete. Piers are going up at the Loop 12 interchange, with a large straddle bent underway.

Fort Worth North Tarrant Express I-35W downtown to US 287 split
A major work zone, with lots of traffic shifts on the main lanes. Multiple ramps under construction downtowan and at I-820

I-35E Express
The new southbound bridge over Lake Lewisville is mostly complete. At the 35E/121 interchange, the WB to NB ramp is mostly done. Other ramps are in various states of early work, with several piers in position. Along the main lanes, work is mostly in early to mid phases.

US 75 McKinney
Complete for a few miles north of SH 121/Sam Rayburn Tollway. Work is still underway on the north end, and nearing completion

I-30/SH 360 interchange
Right of way clearing and preparation in progress, no actual construction yet

SH 121 Grapevine (expansion to 5x5)
The project is proceeding at a glacial pace, surely to the dismay of commuters who get stuck in the backups (formerly me when I worked in Grapevine 2014-2015). The base for the northbound lanes is mostly complete. Three braided ramps are mostly complete.

SH 360 south Toll main lanes
Work is underway at numerous locations along the corridor, with substantial earth-moving at certain locations and nothing started yet at other locations.


I-30 WB at Horseshoe


Margaret McDermott Bridge


Looking north along Loop 12 at SH 183 at a large straddle bend under construction. I'm thinking steel must be expensive since this long span is being built in concrete.


Looking northbound along I-35E at the southern end of the new Lake Lewisville bridge structure. The structure and deck is mostly complete along the main length.


I-35E/SH 121 interchange. The four new ramps are all long and two will be high.


I-35E/SH 121 interchange

I-35E/SH 121 interchange

[rte66man]

@MaxConcrete, did you get to see how the I35E is progressing around Belt Line Rd? 

[MaxConcrete]

@MaxConcrete, did you get to see how the I35E is progressing around Belt Line Rd? 

Northbound traffic was moved to the new structure last week. Southbound traffic was already on the new structure.

There are also many piers in place to bring the frontage roads over the railroad tracks

http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/2016/03/i-35e-closures-lane-shift-coming-as-belt-line-intersection-gets-a-lift-literally.html/

[wxfree]

TTC has ordered a 75 mph speed limit on the managed lanes along I-635.  I would expect that the company would be eager to post signs for an increase, so they may already be up.

The one time I used the lanes it was a bit of a challenge to go the current speed limit of 70.  I pretty much stayed in the left lane and passed other traffic the whole time.  A couple of times I was slowed down a bit.  I jumped into the lanes to avoid a big slowdown that was visible ahead, so the traffic in them may have been a little heavier than usual for a Saturday.

[MaxConcrete]

I was stuck at home today due to the flooding in Houston, so I posted some North Texas photos that I took three weeks ago.

Interstate 35W North Tarrant Express. This is a large and complex construction zone
http://dfwfreeways.com/i35w/construction-2016-march

Driving US 75 through McKinney. Most work was recently completed and some work is still in progress on the north end. Does anyone know if the new southbound main lanes are open through Melissa? (they looked just about ready on March 26)
http://dfwfreeways.com/us75/driving-mckinney

SH 183 Midtown Express
http://dfwfreeways.com/sh183/construction-midtown-express

And here's what's left of the Ghetto Club, which was cleared for the US 175 realignment in south Dallas.

The freeway realignment will come through this spot. The construction contract has been awarded.


Ghetto Club in 2014

[Chris]

Nice update!

Judging by Google Earth, they left some space in the median for a future expansion to ten lanes. Bridges which carry US 75 already have concrete in the median for an additional lane.

[Road Hog]

The main lanes on the north end of the US 75 project opened a couple of weeks ago, but they're still limited to two lanes each way. The frontage road work, though, is lagging way behind and there's virtually no access to Melissa northbound except by getting off on SH 121.

[wxfree]

Here's a presentation on the Southern Gateway project, for which a design-build contract is being sought.  I-35E would be expanded from 8 lanes to 10, plus two reversible managed lanes.  US 67 would be expanded from 6 to 8, with on reversible managed lane.  This project includes non-tolled managed lanes.  The way it was explained is that the managed lanes would serve as general purpose lanes with limited access.  I would think this means they're express lanes, not exactly managed, that would pass by entrance and exit ramps and associated slowdowns.

http://ftp.dot.state.tx.us/pub/txdot/commission/2016/0428/9-presentation.pdf

[txstateends]

http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/2016/04/new-i-30i-35e-connection-will-forever-change-downtown-traffic-flows-starting-this-weekend.html/

Horseshoe (downtown Dallas I-30/I-35E improvements) update::::

Lane changes beginning this weekend include--



I-35E SB at I-30 WB, the I-30 WB exit will be a RIGHT exit for the first time since I-30's path was built in the 1950s as the DFW Turnpike (about f'in time!!), AND, it will be a 2-lane ramp connection (the old left-exit ramp was a 1-lane ramp).

I-30 WB ramp from Riverfront, has been replaced and is open again.

Reunion Blvd. ramp to WB I-30, will close as part of the left-exit I-35E SB to I-30 WB ramp closure.  Go west on Reunion to Riverfront, then left; at the I-30 WB ramp, turn right.

WB Commerce St. connection to I-35E SB and I-30 WB, will be temporarily closed.  Stay on Commerce to Riverfront (ex-Industrial Blvd.), then left, then take the I-30 WB ramp (right turn) from Riverfront.  An eventual direct ramp will be built to connect Commerce to your choice of I-30 WB or I-35E SB without the mixing and weaving crap.

I-30 WB before I-35E, lane shift to the right onto new pavement near the Akard St. overpass.

[txstateends]

More Horseshoe fun......

http://transportationblog.dallasnews.com/2016/05/i-30-exit-into-the-cedars-downtown-closing-for-months.html/?_ga=1.103046336.1734877826.1453035262

The I-30 EB exit to Lamar will close this Friday, and won't reopen till this fall.

[MaxConcrete]

The April photo update for the Horseshoe project is an impressive collection

http://dallashorseshoe.com/aerial-photos-april-2016/

[Bobby5280]

Great photo collection!

[longhorn]

The April photo update for the Horseshoe project is an impressive collection

http://dallashorseshoe.com/aerial-photos-april-2016/

The traffic going westbound or coming toward the observer has been shifted to the new westbound lanes on the new bridge.