The proposed expansion of one of the busiest stretches of highway in all of North Texas will be on the line during a hearing in Austin on Thursday.
The I-635 LBJ East Project would improve and widen Interstate 635 from the High Five interchange with U.S. 75 to Interstate 30 in Dallas County.
An estimated 200,000 vehicles drive along that stretch of highway every day.
The project is among those being considered for funding at a meeting of the Texas Transportation Commission.
The LBJ East Project was previously removed from consideration for state funds because the plan included the installation of four managed toll lanes. Last month the state balked on assisting with projects that included the addition of toll lanes.
Currently there are eight general purposes lanes across LBJ on the east side of the High Five, in addition to two high occupancy vehicle (HOV) lanes. The expansion of the highway would create two more general purpose lanes, for a total of 10, and it would convert the two HOV lanes to four non-tolled express lanes. That would result in 635 being 14 lanes across for the duration of the 10.8 mile stretch of highway between US 75 and I-30.
The LBJ Project would also involve the installation of continuous frontage roads along that stretch; in addition to the construction of a new 635/I-30 interchange.
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“Improvements made to LBJ Freeway in North Dallas have led to a less-congested and safer roadway,” noted Michael Morris, Transportation Director of the North Central Texas Council of Governments, in a statement. “The Regional Transportation Council thanks the Texas Transportation Commission for agreeing to consider LBJ East, the next phase of a regional effort to relieve congestion on one of the area’s most essential roadways.”
