Big changes are coming to one of Arlington's busiest roads. Over the next several years, the city will completely revamp Abram Street between Downtown Arlington and Texas Highway 360. And as one phase of the project reaches an important milestone, the city is pushing forward with another.
You won't find many people that would describe a trip down Abram Street as smooth or comfortable. The worn out road is full of cracks and potholes.
The city says it's well aware of this – which is why officials are very much looking forward to opening two newly revamped lanes this week between Highway 360 and Stadium Drive.
"It'll be smoother traveling for the public," said Keith Brooks, Engineering Operations Manager for the City of Arlington. "And also, it feels like a sense of accomplishment."
Beginning Friday, all traffic along that stretch of Abram will be rerouted onto the completed westbound lanes. Crews will then begin work on the eastbound lanes.
It's the first significant sign of progress on a multi-million dollar makeover of the busy thoroughfare. The three-phase project will affect Abram from Cooper Street to just east of Highway 360.
"It's going to be worth it in the long haul," said Brooks.
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With Phase I reaching the halfway mark, the city is charging forward with perhaps the biggest piece of this project – a complete redesign of Abram through Downtown Arlington.
The city held a public meeting Wednesday night during which leaders revealed designs for Phase III, which encompasses the area between Cooper Street and Collins Street.
It would reduce the total number of lanes from five to three, widen sidewalks and add new landscaping. City leaders have expressed support for this design because they feel it would make Downtown Arlington more pedestrian friendly.
"We're super excited," said Spencer Cearnal, who owns Cearnal Co, a real estate business along Abram.
Born and raised in Arlington, he says the city's downtown area has never felt like a true downtown.
But he and his wife were swayed by a new energy taking over the area – several major projects including a new library and a six-story mixed use development are in the works. So they decided to open up shop along Abram about a year ago.
They support the proposed redesign for Abram, which they think can be a game changer.
"It won't be as congested with cars flying up and down the road, going 45 miles an hour," said Cearnal. "People would slow down and be able to take in all the sights. It'll be more what people want – and I think what brings people to Dallas or Fort Worth or any other true downtown."
The team at Mijo's Tacos and Beyond agrees. The restaurant just opened next to Cearnal's business last month. Manager Kenneth Thompson said projects like the Abram Street redesign are what convinced them to come to downtown.
"We saw a lot of growth in this area and we want to be a part of everything that’s going on in Arlington," said Thompson.
