Dallas (WBAP/KLIF News) – Freeways that form a ring around Downtown Dallas could undergo a transition over the next 25 years. The North Central Texas Council of Government’s “Mobility 2040” plan is looking at how the area’s transportation network should evolve.
One plan would eliminate the elevated highway that runs along the east side of downtown, separating downtown from Deep Ellum.
“If something bold happens with that freeway, that could open up opportunity,” says James Frye, with the consulting group, HNTB. “But the people who live and work there want that in a controlled way. They don’t want Deep Ellum to become exactly like downtown.”
The plan to demolish Interstate 345 would replace the highway with an urban parkway that would allow more space for commercial and residential development.
Dallas and the Texas Department of Transportation are also considering a plan to rebuild Interstate 30 through the Dallas “canyon” between I-35E and I-45. Another option would move I-30 farther south.
“We’re hearing from the Cedars to the south that there’s tremendous opportunity there,” Frye says.
No plans have been finalized and the cost to rebuild highways has not been estimated. Frye says the highway system in Dallas was built to accommodate people who were moving farther from the center of the city. Now, he says younger professionals are looking for a shorter commute, while retirees seek out neighborhoods with easier access to nightlife.
“They had great intent, but we’ve learned a lot from how the interstate system has evolved over the last 50 years,” Frye says.
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