Dallas: I-345

[Bobby5280]

You need to look again and think again! You are probably thinking about US-59 / I-69 in HOUSTON. WHile it is not pedestrian friendly, there are no fences. There are often ramps onto and off of the freeway that block pedestrians.

What do you call this?
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7810541,-96.7836843,3a,75y,142.24h,91.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sG1MYf4v0Bn9MTMqRoHglAQ!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?authuser=0&entry=ttu

Or this?
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7816337,-96.7843643,3a,75y,234.36h,98.08t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sv7lH_wCWVaDk5iNli8Qy7A!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?authuser=0&entry=ttu

Or this?
https://www.google.com/maps/@32.7829535,-96.7881026,3a,75y,122.97h,77.33t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sQ-K5tF6cs_WbBEMIHjmf3g!2e0!7i16384!8i8192?authuser=0&entry=ttu

There is a lot of fences and other obstacles for crossing under the existing elevated I-345 freeway. I've seen it for myself in person. Most people on foot (or on a bike) will be crossing alongside surface streets.

By crime avoidance, I assume we are talking about HOMELESS avoidance.

Yeah, that would be part of it. But pedestrian and bicycle crossings that are going over the top of a freeway will be easier to monitor with surveillance cameras and other tools. And, yeah, there won't be any places for homeless people to set up encampments. I do not have a cold heart towards unhoused people. Real substantial, compassionate things need to be done to help those in need. I don't think it is acceptable to just treat those people as human trash and forget them in places like the undersides of highway overpasses.

[bwana39]

I agree fully that we need a better cohesive plan to deal with our poverty problems especially the homeless. My point is that getting rid of the area beneath the elevated bridges does nothing to fix the problem of homelessness, it just moves the problem to somewhere else.

Back to the fences. I am going to concede I started at the northern reaches of the proposed project at Woodall Rodgers. Between SS-366 and Elm Street,there are no fences. I really didn't dig very hard south of there.  South of Main, you are correct there are fences.

I went and looked at Klyde Warren Park. Within the streets / frontage roads it is indeed walkable. It has virtually zero access except at the cross streets from either downtown or midtown. I will agree, with the caps, it is a more inviting space.

The proposed trench east of downtown if it is capped, will be better than what is there. Hopefully, $1,500,000,000 or more better.

WHile the sidewalks under the freeway could be better, EVERY cross street currently is connected under I-345 / US-75 elevated. It doesn't seem to be the case with the proposal.

[05danper42842]

   Hey Guys meeting materials for the I 345 Meeting March 19 were recently uploaded a few minutes ago.
https://www.keepitmovingdallas.com/projects/interstate-highways/i345

[Henry]

I just saw the YouTube clips of the project, and it is one of the best presentations I've ever seen!

[Bobby5280]

If the highway is built as depicted in the YouTube video there will be plenty of access for pedestrians to cross over the highway. It looks like every street crossing over the trenched freeway will have protected sidewalks for pedestrians and even a good bit of dedicated bicycle paths. The street crossings are spaced fairly close together too. Any added deck parks will just sweeten the deal for walk-ability.

The only downside is pedestrian/bike access across the I-345 corridor may be greatly limited during the construction process. The finished product looks like it will be worth the few years of pain.

[bwana39]

If the highway is built as depicted in the YouTube video there will be plenty of access for pedestrians to cross over the highway. It looks like every street crossing over the trenched freeway will have protected sidewalks for pedestrians and even a good bit of dedicated bicycle paths. The street crossings are spaced fairly close together too. Any added deck parks will just sweeten the deal for walk-ability.

The only downside is pedestrian/bike access across the I-345 corridor may be greatly limited during the construction process. The finished product looks like it will be worth the few years of pain.

Don't forget those 11' sound curtains at ground level!

[BJ59]

It kind of reminds me of US-75 from Downtown to Loop 12. Its very interesting how there are traffic signal intersections of the city streets built on top of the freeway.

Also I noticed how there are 2 ramps connecting Woodall Rogers Freeway (SH-366) to I-345 southbound. One of them immediately connects to the right lanes of I-345 and has access to both I-30 ramps from southbound I-345. The other lane comes in to the left of the I-345 mainlanes and is separated by barriers until after the I-30 exit ramps. Is this meant for traffic coming off of SH-366 that wants to bypass any traffic built up from the I-30 interchange?

[Plutonic Panda]

If the highway is built as depicted in the YouTube video there will be plenty of access for pedestrians to cross over the highway. It looks like every street crossing over the trenched freeway will have protected sidewalks for pedestrians and even a good bit of dedicated bicycle paths. The street crossings are spaced fairly close together too. Any added deck parks will just sweeten the deal for walk-ability.

The only downside is pedestrian/bike access across the I-345 corridor may be greatly limited during the construction process. The finished product looks like it will be worth the few years of pain.

And not only that, but if some deep pocketed philanthropist came through, who had interest in doing this, they could completely cap off those sections and create and effective tunnel. Wouldn't be cheap but I'm sure if this mystery person put up enough money the city probably would pitch as well.

[bwana39]

While it is mostly behind a paywall, here is news on paying for the caps.

https://www.bizjournals.com/dallas/news/2024/03/13/feds-grant-80m-for-highway-caps-north-texas.html

[Bobby5280]

It kind of reminds me of US-75 from Downtown to Loop 12.

This re-build of I-345 will only be similar to North Central Expressway by being built down in a trench. The bridge crossings between downtown and Deep Ellum will be more densely packed and more complex in design. That's without factoring in possible caps in one or more places. It should be a pretty interesting looking highway design once it is finished.

One thing the YouTube video does not show is possible "green-scape" enhancements -bushes, trees and other landscaping features to partially hide the freeway from the upper street level. The depressed South section of North Central Expressway doesn't have much in the way of landscaping features on its overhead street crossings. But the expansion of North Central started back in the early 1990's and was completed 25 years ago. Some highway design trends have changed a bit during the years since.