Top 5 Biggest Road Construction Projects In DFW
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NORTH TEXAS (CBS11) - It is nearly impossible these days in North Texas to avoid road construction projects. While billions of dollars are being pumped into the roadway system, TxDOT said it still can't keep up with the growth.
"There are a thousand people moving a day to Texas and we've (North Texas) got most of them," said TxDOT Dallas spokesperson Donna Huerta. "We can't keep up with that kind of demand, but what we can do is take what we have and make it better."
With a new approach allowing contractors to design and build a project simultaneously, TxDOT said roads are being built twice as fast as they were just decade ago.
"We are just trying to be more efficient, quicker, and then get out of the way," Huerta said.
Here are the top five road construction projects currently underway in DFW.
1. I-35 Express in Dallas County - Come summer 2017, the more than $1 billion I-35 Express project from LBJ up to the George Bush Turnpike will be finished. Driver will have an extra lane in each direction along with two reversible managed toll lanes. However, this is not the end of construction on I-35E. TxDOT has plans to expand the interstate for the next decade all the way up to Denton.
2. I-35W in Tarrant County - This 18 mile complete rebuild of I-35W in Fort Worth is the largest and, at more than $1.4 billion, the most expensive road project in Tarrant County. TxDOT officials said this will double to capacity of I-35W from downtown Fort Worth to I-820. To do that, two managed toll lanes in each direction will be added that at peak times could cost up to 75 cents a mile to use. TxDOT officials said speeds on the managed toll lanes should remain faster than 40 miles-per-hour even during peak times.
3. The Midtown Express - This $850 million project will add lanes to SH183, SH114, and a small section of Loop 12. When finished in 2018, one of the big benefits of this project is it will help speed up the commute for many to DFW International Airport. Like with many of these new projects, the new lanes are going to be managed toll lanes.
4. The Dallas Horseshoe - Everyday 460,000 drivers attempt to navigate their way through Dallas' Mixmaster. This outdated configuration has not only made it one of the most congested but confusing roadways in all of Texas. To straighten this out, TxDOT is spending $800 million on new bridges and roadways right there where I-35E and I-30 connect. The Horseshoe Project is expected to be complete by the summer of 2017.
5. I-30 / 360 interchange project in Arlington - Have you ever wondered why SH 360 doesn't directly connect with I-30? Currently to go from one highway to the other, a driver has to exit to city streets and even sit through traffic lights before being able to get onto the other highway. The new $233 million interchange project will change that, creating direct connectors. However, it won't be done until 2020.
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