Interstate 820

Interstate 820 forms the west, north and east legs of the beltway encircling Fort Worth north from IH 20 (the south leg). The loop totals 35.17 miles in length, mostly within the Fort Worth city limits, but also through portions of Lake Worth, Saginaw, Haltom City and along the western boundary of White Settlement.

TexExpress toll lanes accompany the northeast quadrant of IH 820, from IH 35W east to SH 121 / 183.  One of four Fort Worth segments constructed along IH 35W, IH 820 and SH 121 starting in 2013, Segment 1 of the NTE (North Tarrant Express Mobility Partners) TEXpress Lanes were completed in October 2014. The $2.4 billion upgrade added two toll lanes per direction and included rebuilding of the freeway, exit ramps and frontage roads along a 13 mile corridor.¹

Interstate 820 Texas Guides

• Inner Loop - Benbrook to Saginaw
• Inner Loop - Haltom City to Kennedale
• Outer Loop

The Texas Bureau of Public Roads (BPR) established Interstate 820 in October 1959 as a 270-degree loop around Fort Worth. IH 20 at that time was assigned to what is now IH 30 along the East-West Expressway, with IH 820 traveling counter clockwise from near White Settlement to Forest Hill, North Richland Hills and IH 35W in north Fort Worth. The BPR lengthened IH 820 into a full loop by February 1, 1969, with the northwest quadrant between IH 35W and then-IH 20 designated. IH 820 was retracted along the south leg of the beltway in December 1971, with the relocation of IH 20 through south Fort Worth and extension of IH 30 west from Dallas.

The southwestern quadrant of IH 820 was previously designated as State Loop 820. SL 820 looped northwest from near Horne Road to U.S. 377 starting in 1963. The route was extended north and east 13.5 miles along a separate section of road from IH 20 (now IH 30) in west Fort Worth to IH 35W in 1965. The northwestern beltway was redesignated as IH 820 in October 1972, while the original alignment along Southwest Boulevard was renumbered as SH 183 in June 1977.

Connect with:
Interstate 20
Interstate 30
Interstate 35W
U.S. 287

Page Updated 01-24-2018.