Widening of I35E (2012 - 2015)

UNTLifer · August 22, 2005

I-35E widening funds add up

Expert thinks money from various sources should be enough for 4 more lanes

07:24 AM CDT on Monday, August 22, 2005

By Dave Moore / Staff Writer

There might be enough money to pay for the widening of Interstate 35E from Lake Dallas to University Drive, one transportation expert says.

Funds from the future State Highway 121 tollway, tolled express lanes on I-35E, a recent federal highway bill and $60 million in county bonds could add up to more than $300 million — the cost of widening the highway from four lanes to eight lanes along the 11-mile expanse.

“What this money will do is help us expedite the widening of I-35E from Lake Dallas to University Drive,” said Michael Morris, director of transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, of the new federal highway funding.

Morris said transportation officials are still tallying up how much money will be available to undertake the widening project. They should know the total within a few weeks, Morris said.

Tolls along Highway 121 through Denton County would carry the heaviest load of funding work on I-35E, portions of which have received failing grades from engineers since 1998 because it’s been so overloaded. The widening project should bring the interstate’s performance up to a satisfactory level. John Polster, of Innovative Transportation Solutions Inc., has said the tollway could generate $1 billion over 20 years for various transportation projects.

Morris said tolls from express lanes that might be included on I-35E would also go toward paying off the project. Those tolls would be collected by electronic toll passes. The widened I-35E project would also include lanes without tolls.

Also contributing toward the project is $5.6 million from the recently passed $286.4 billion Transportation Authorization Bill. U.S. Rep Michael Burgess, R-Flower Mound, assisted in landing those funds for North Texas. The federal funds might also help to lure state dollars to the project, he said.

Morris’ news is good for Denton County drivers, whose commute is among the worst 20 percent in Texas, with nearly 30 percent of all drives lasting 40 minutes or longer, according to 2000 Census data.

Many residents are frustrated by the fact that though the road is clogged by traffic, there wasn’t enough money to fix it. With funding, work might begin sometime between 2012 and 2015.

The Denton County Commissioners Court has combined to set aside $60 million in bonding authority, as part of the money authorized by voter approval of the Transportation Road Improvement Program bonds in 2004.

“I’m real excited that we had the bond election, and instead of the project being on the ground in 20 years, it will be on the ground in 10 years,” said County Judge Mary Horn.

She said she won’t hesitate paying tolls on Highway 121.

“If I can stay off of [interstate] 635, I will,” she said. “I’m looking forward to 121. That whole area is growing so fast, we have to keep up with demand.”

DAVE MOORE can be reached at 940-566-6882. His e-mail address is dmmoore@dentonrc.com.

UNTFan23 · August 22, 2005

2012 is still a long time away. I wonder how much Denton will grow between now and then?

PlummMeanGreen · August 22, 2005

2012 is still a long time away. I wonder how much Denton will grow between now and then?
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Denton County now has almost 560,000 population from a DMN blurb I read last week.

U.S. Representative Michael Burgess (who has attended many Mean Green games in recent years) needs to work his magic with the federales to get that Super Bridge built connecting the main campus to Eagle Point Campus and the Mean Green Athletic Village. Anyone hear how that project is coming along if it is coming along at all?

GMG!

Edited August 22, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

ADLER · August 22, 2005

So, let me get this straight. After 2015, North Texas should be able to schedule football games, basketball games, and events like quarterly meetings on weekdays before 7:30 PM.

Until then, let's just hope that everybody schedules accordingly.

hope24 · August 22, 2005

Really I think half of the problem with 35E in Denton is not the number of lanes, but the length of the on-ramps... I know with my 4 cylinder there is no way I can get up to even 50 by the time I merge with the highway, therefore drivers in the right lane move over to the left to get out of my way so they don't have to slow down. The drivers who moved over from the right lane generally are going slower than the speed limit as it is, so when they move over to the left, it slows down the left lane, meanwhile the right lane is still trying to get back up to speed... Basically, what I'm saying is that sure, adding lanes will help, but traffic will still be slow unless they make the on-ramps longer.

meangreenfreak · August 22, 2005

Really I think half of the problem with 35E in Denton is not the number of lanes, but the length of the on-ramps... I know with my 4 cylinder there is no way I can get up to even 50 by the time I merge with the highway, therefore drivers in the right lane move over to the left to get out of my way so they don't have to slow down. The drivers who moved over from the right lane generally are going slower than the speed limit as it is, so when they move over to the left, it slows down the left lane, meanwhile the right lane is still trying to get back up to speed... Basically, what I'm saying is that sure, adding lanes will help, but traffic will still be slow unless they make the on-ramps longer.
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Buy an SUV. Yeah I only get between 13-17 MPG, but I'm not going to die (while getting run over) getting on I35. It would help a lot if the people already on the highway would move over to the left lane and let entering traffic onto the highway. Otherwise you have about 100 foot to find a place to merge into traffic.

MeanEd · August 22, 2005

Back in the day - Central Expressway has entrance lanes that were about 20 feet long. You just hit the gas and hoped for the best.

UNTLifer · August 23, 2005

Denton County now has almost 560,000 population from a DMN blurb I read last week.
U.S. Representative Michael Burgess (who has attended many Mean Green games in recent years) needs to work his magic with the federales to get that Super Bridge built connecting the main campus to Eagle Point Campus and the Mean Green Athletic Village. Anyone hear how that project is coming along if it is coming along at all?
GMG!
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I would be surprised if a new bridge is built, ie. PMG's "Super Bridge."

PlummMeanGreen · August 23, 2005

I would be surprised if a new bridge is built, ie. PMG's "Super Bridge."
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Actually, that "Super Bridge" was part of NT's Master Plan at one time. Don't know if that has changed in the Master Plan, but I hope it hasn't.

FirefightnRick · August 23, 2005

Really I think half of the problem with 35E in Denton is not the number of lanes, but the length of the on-ramps...

From sometime on or before '87 to '91 the speed limit was 65 m.p.h. through there, which meant everyone was driving 75 and 80 m.p.h. During that time 3 or 4 NT students were killed on those entrance ramps trying to merge onto the highway. Two of the incidents involved the students trying to merge on in front of 18 wheelers who couldn't move over or slow down in time.

Someone finally pulled their head out and lowered the speed down to 55 sometime during the 90'?

Rick

PlummMeanGreen · August 23, 2005

Back in the day - Central Expressway has entrance lanes that were about 20 feet long. You just hit the gas and hoped for the best.
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It was that way trying to get on Denton's I35-E back in the 1970's...You had to really gun it (and as you said) just hope for the best. I still think back with amazement with how short those ramps onto the freeway were back then.

meangreenfreak · August 23, 2005

Anyone notice that PMG is nearing the big 7,000 posts? It may be cause for a celebration. I don't think anyone else has near that many. Of his nearly 7,000 posts, I wonder how many contain the word combination "new stadium"?

PlummMeanGreen · August 23, 2005

Anyone notice that PMG is nearing the big 7,000 posts? It may be cause for a celebration. I don't think anyone else has near that many. Of his nearly 7,000 posts, I wonder how many contain the word combination "new stadium"?
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My nieces and nephews are all monitoring this and will throw me a special "Uncle PMG" party when I hit 7,000. I am working on a speech for the special occasion and most memorable milestone in my life except I don't know what in hades to talk about.

meangreenfreak · August 23, 2005

My nieces and nephews are all monitoring this and will throw me a special "Uncle PMG" party when I hit 7,000. I am working on a speech for the special occasion and most memorable milestone in my life except I don't know what in hades to talk about.
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Your the best! I have no idea who you are, but I love to read what you have to say. Keep up the good work!

PlummMeanGreen · August 23, 2005

Your the best! I have no idea who you are, but I love to read what you have to say. Keep up the good work!
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Come on now, mgf, should we just go ahead and tell this forum that you are one of those nephews?!?!?!?

GMG!

PS: As far as my posts? I like to think of them many times as from the uh, well, how about "The Far Side?" Yet even ol' Harry himself will call me on occasion to tell me I'm right on on a particular subject and that every once in a blue moon. I do try to not post about posters, though, as I think are the rules of this board.

Edited August 23, 2005 by PlummMeanGreen

stebo · August 23, 2005

Oh Freak, you just hit post number "666" - that is creepy, hurry up and post another time, lol.

NT80 · August 23, 2005

I think the widening of I-35E and perhaps DART-rail in the future will greatly impact game attendance at NT, especially weeknight games.

El Paso Eagle · August 23, 2005

Oh Freak, you just hit post number "666" - that is creepy, hurry up and post another time, lol.
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Does it seem strange that post “666” was a complement of PMG??????

PlummMeanGreen · August 23, 2005

Does it seem strange that post “666” was a complement of PMG??????
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By all means, mgf, do hurry and post #667! I know, way too many "The Omen" type movies for me, too!

GreenN'walinsVet · August 23, 2005

Anyone notice that PMG is nearing the big 7,000 posts? It may be cause for a celebration. I don't think anyone else has near that many. Of his nearly 7,000 posts, I wonder how many contain the word combination "new stadium"?
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Dont know how many have those words but i think all of them in the last two years have contained some kind of reference to "the area between those two interstates"

meangreenfreak · August 24, 2005

Oh Freak, you just hit post number "666" - that is creepy, hurry up and post another time, lol.
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Whew...That was close. I was almost sucked in by the evil 666 post. Glad that's over.

ADLER · August 24, 2005

My nieces and nephews are all monitoring this and will throw me a special "Uncle PMG" party when I hit 7,000. I am working on a speech for the special occasion and most memorable milestone in my life except I don't know what in hades to talk about.
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Are they considering unlocking the attic and letting you out for a little while?

Edited August 24, 2005 by ADLER