DFW Projects Thread

[-- 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.

[-- US 175 --]

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.

NCTCOG is eventually recommending 4x4 between I-45 and I-20/I-635, and 3x3 east from there.

If any rebuilding is done, it needs to include the White Rock Creek bottom between Railroad Ave. and Lake June.  That area flooded over the highway 3 years straight and nothing has been done since to raise US 175.  It doesn't flood through there every year, but with more and more traffic there, it would be quite the detour if it floods there again without a better solution.

Agreed about the old-style ramps.  The only ones recently worked on has been the WB Malloy Bridge exit and the WB FM 1389-Combine on-ramp.  They were swapped in the last couple of years.

[Great Lakes Roads]

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.

Three alternatives to I-820 widening:

GP Lanes added in each direction (widening from 3-4 lanes each way to 4-6 lanes each way)
Express Lanes added with no additional GP Lanes (2 express lanes each way in the middle)- 3/4-2-2-3/4
Both GP and Express Lanes added (2 express lanes each way in the middle with 1 added GP lane each way)- 4/5-2-2-4/5

https://www.txdot.gov/projects/hearings-meetings/fort-worth/2024/i820-northwest-loop.html

[Bobby5280]

I guess with them poised to extend the I-820 express lanes West of I-35W that might mean even more flyover ramps for the I-35W/I-820 stack interchange.

[missxashlee]

There is a small update on SH 114 construction east of I35W! A small section of newly constructed freeway is open on east bound lanes, just east of I35W before Chadwick Farms. You can now bypass one of the red lights!

[Bobby5280]

Meanwhile we're going to have more traffic signals installed on TX-114 between the Northwest ISD school complex and the US-287 interchange. That section of road is going to regress from being a highway and turn into a clogged suburban surface street.

Traffic levels could be a real fiasco with hundreds of new homes getting built in nearby subdivisions. Let's not forget all the giant logistical buildings that keep getting added into that area. Most of the stuff coming in and out of those facilities is by truck, not rail. And many of those trucks are going to be using TX-114.

TX DOT is making an idiotic planning mistake by not at least getting plans together to get the TX-114 freeway extended to US-287. It's not good enough for the freeway to stop at the Northwest ISD complex.

[BJ59]

There is a small update on SH 114 construction east of I35W! A small section of newly constructed freeway is open on east bound lanes, just east of I35W before Chadwick Farms. You can now bypass one of the red lights!

I am guessing this is the TX-114 overpass over Cleveland-Gibbs Rd (going eastbound)? Great news. Hopefully the westbound segment will open soon as well.

[ZLoth]

Does anyone have the construction page for IH-30 between the George Bush and the Royce City? And, when that project will be done?

[05danper42842]

Does anyone have the construction page for IH-30 between the George Bush and the Royce City? And, when that project will be done?

There is no link just some documents uploaded by TXDOT into the internet.
Such as this one https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://ftp.txdot.gov/pub/txdot-info/dal/i30-expansion-fact-sheet.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiF6oPq_MWLAxVLD0QIHbe8FdAQFnoECBAQAQ&usg=AOvVaw3oUPGBI9qu9wg8V1UE1Yev[/url

The project is divided up into three segments.
Segment one is I-30 from Bass Pro Dr Dalrock Rd. Second segment is Dalrock Rd to SH 205. Third is from SH 205 to Hunt County Line.

[ZLoth]

Oh boo. I was hoping to get an estimated finish date beyond "probably not this year". 

[bwana39]

If you lived through the last widening of I-30 over the lake, you wouldn't be crying. It was virtually an assured 2+ hours from Beltline to Ridge Rd and an hour and a half or more in the opposite direction.

It became normal to take I-20 / US-80 to SH-34 and up to Greenville or to SH-19 and up to Sulphur Springs.

If you were northerly, US-380 to Greenville.

[05danper42842]

Oh boo. I was hoping to get an estimated finish date beyond "probably not this year". 

News Outlets says that there is a estimated completion date of January 2027 for both segments 1 and 2. I can expect a substantial completion in 2026. Note that many freeways already widened, operational improvement were added but are still undergoing a additional construction project to widen it or to add operational improvements.

[Road Hog]

It took me a full hour Thanksgiving weekend just to drive from one end of McKinney city limits to another via 380 and other roads.I've identified my alternate routes since and other drivers need to do theirs.

[Chris]

The original DFW thread has unfortunately disappeared.

Let's reboot it with some news about the Chisholm Trail Parkway. It was originally built in 2014 as a two-lane toll road on the southernmost 13 miles from the Crowley Plover Road to US 67 near Cleburne. Construction is now underway to expand it to a four lane toll road, to be completed by late 2028.

https://fortworthreport.org/2025/05/04/texas-will-spend-250m-to-expand-chisholm-trail-parkway-when-does-construction-start/

A 13-mile stretch of the Chisholm Trail Parkway — the tolled highway connecting Fort Worth to Cleburne — will be widened from two to four lanes from Crowley Plover Road/FM 1187 in Tarrant County to U.S. Highway 67 in Johnson County.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/468443093900364/posts/2052643438813647/

• The existing 𝐧𝐨𝐫𝐭𝐡𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬 will stay as-is; 𝐧𝐞𝐰 𝐬𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐞𝐬 will be built alongside them.
• 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐛𝐞𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟓 and is expected to wrap up by 𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟖 (𝐰𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐫 𝐩𝐞𝐫𝐦𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠).

[Bobby5280]

I wonder when they're going to build the four missing flyover ramp movements at the I-20 interchange with Chisholm Trail Parkway. A new "Y" interchange will be needed at the South end of the Chisholm Trail Parkway at the intersection with US-67.

Speaking of US-67, it's a freeway going around the North side of Cleburne, but it drops down to ordinary 4-lane divided configuration most of the way between Cleburne and Midlothian. This is yet another situation very similar to US-380 between Denton and McKinney. The South extension of TX-360 now under construction will put more traffic onto US-67.

The I-57 construction project in Jacksonville, AR is interesting with how they were able to pack a 3x3 laned freeway with proper shoulders into a narrow footprint and still maintain continuous frontage roads. The zone just North of exit 11 provides a good example of the finished product. That kind of design will have to be repeated along segments of several corridors in the DFW area. Not just US-67. We're talking parts of US-287, TX-114, US-82 and others. The ultimate build-out of a US-380 freeway between Denton and McKinney could look like that in several spots.