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TxDOT to hold meeting about I-35E widening project
By Heather M. Goodwin, hgoodwin@starlocalnews.com
In response to requests from property owners, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) will hold an informational meeting to update Lewisville residents on the upcoming Interstate 35E project.
TxDOT will hold the meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. Thursday at the Medical Center of Lewisville Grand Theater, 100 N. Charles St. Thursday's meeting is designed to provide information to property owners in the project's middle section, from President George Bush Turnpike to FM 2181; provide concerned residents and property owners along the corridor with a project update, including an update of the right-of-way acquisition process; and have TxDOT staff available to answer questions about the process.
"This meeting is mainly geared toward owners of parcels on front line through the Lewisville/Highland Village area. A lot of the property owners have had questions and requested a meeting to discuss those," said Donna Huerta, TxDOT public information officer in the strategic projects office. "We'll open with a presentation of the overall project. We've just awarded the contract, and they're starting the design on it, so this will be a great kick off for the whole project."
The estimated cost of the project is $4.8 billion. The state has $1.1 billion in currently available funding, requiring the corridor to be constructed in phases. The phased construction approach also will require a phased property-acquisition process.
The project encompasses I-35 from President George Bush toll road to south Denton. Lewisville's section begins at the toll road and ends at FM 2181. The 28-mile project includes the addition of two reversible managed lanes in the center of I-35E and widening to provide one additional general purpose lane in each direction. The fee for traveling in the lanes will fluctuate with how congested the other lanes are; however, if there are three or more people in the car there will be no charge. The lanes will be managed electronically with video cameras.
Officials will also place a new bridge across Lewisville Lake. The variable priced managed toll lanes will be designed with a goal of allowing users to travel 50 mph, even at peak travel times.
Currently there is $1 billion available for the project, so it must be constructed in phases. The ultimate build-out has a $4.8 billion estimate, but Phase 1 of the project will be covered with this contract at an estimated $1 billion.
Future meetings will be conducted for other geographic areas along the corridor.
A financial public hearing will be held in Denton from 6 to 8 p.m. Jan. 17 at the Denton Civic Center, 231 E McKinney St.
Right of Way acquisition should begin as early as spring 2013 with construction beginning in summer 2013.
The I-35E corridor accommodates more than 200,000 vehicles per day at the I-635 intersection and more than 180,000 crossing Lewisville Lake each day. Also, there are more than 12,000 trucks using this corridor to transport freight across the state.
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