After weeks of warning, the road closures for railroad upgrades have begun in Arlington.
Several major railroad crossing will be closed for several days as Union Pacific Railroad crews work on portions of the tracks that split Arlington in half.
Davis, Cooper, Center and Mesquite streets were up on Friday. The Collins Street crossing is expected to close Saturday.
Each will be closed for several days. Click here for the latest updates on road closures.
University of Texas at Arlington nursing student Jenny Beaty said traffic was terrible.
"I tried to take Davis [Street] to UTA -- closed," she said. "Got on Cooper [Street]; Cooper is closed. Finally, I made my way to a street that goes under -- West [Street] -- and that was just bumper to bumper the entire way," she said.
"It's pretty crazy. You can't get through it. It's sort of a pain," said Sayem Huq, a UTA student who daily uses the Cooper Street crossing.
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Drivers can expect the simultaneous closures of railroad crossings for several days, with even more roads to follow as crews upgrade the tracks.
One driver said it's just more annoying than anything else.
"It's just a hassle," she said, while waiting at a light in gridlock traffic on Division Street, part of the Cooper Street detour.
To ease the pain, Arlington police officers were out pointing drivers in the direction of detours and alternate routes.
"Arlington PD always does a good job," another driver said.
Despite several weeks worth of warnings from the city, the closures still some drivers off-guard.
"I'm a busy nursing student, always driving around places," Beaty said. "I guess I'm going to have to keep a map on me, because I don't know how to get around now."
The city suggests that drivers plan ahead and be patient and follow the detour signs if all else fails.
