Hillcrest Road near the Richardson border has been closed for a year for DART Silver Line construction. The road has finally reopened.
Credit WFAA
DALLAS — A key stretch of Hillcrest Road in North Dallas has partially reopened after being closed for 54 weeks due to construction for the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) Silver Line regional rail project.
DART had initially planned to reopen the road on January 23, just two days before their deadline. However, a delay in receiving equipment for a new stormwater pump station, along with expected rain, pushed the reopening back by two weeks.
“We appreciate the patience of residents and commuters as we’ve worked to rebuild Hillcrest Road,” said Trey Walker, DART’s vice president of construction and capital projects. “This extension allowed us to complete more work safely and efficiently. We hope drivers will enjoy the improved roadway and Silver Line passengers will benefit from the new rail service once operational.”
The section of Hillcrest Road, originally closed on January 25, 2024, between McCallum Boulevard and Wester Way near the Richardson border, was shut down to allow for construction of a new roadway section beneath the Silver Line rail guideway.
Now, Hillcrest Road is open with one lane of traffic in each direction in the inside lanes, with multiple lanes resuming at McCallum Boulevard to the north and Wester Way to the south. A 25 mph speed limit is in effect, and medians separate the open lanes. Pedestrians can use a temporary walkway on the east side of the roadway barrier, with the full sidewalk expected to open later this month.
The DART Silver Line, a 26-mile commuter rail spanning seven cities (Grapevine, Coppell, Dallas, Carrollton, Addison, Richardson, Plano), will connect East Plano to DFW Airport’s Terminal B and is expected to begin service in early 2026.
“We’re really excited because the Silver Line is about 85% complete,” DART CEO Nadine Lee said in January. “We plan to announce the opening day sometime in the spring, likely around March or April, and we fully anticipate being done by the end of the year.”
DART has stated that drivers will be notified of any upcoming changes through digital road signs as construction nears completion.
Crews had to excavate nearly 18 feet of rock and dirt to build the new section of Hillcrest Road under the Silver Line rail bridge. The project also included the addition of a stormwater pump station and a pedestrian bridge for runners, walkers, and cyclists adjacent to the rail bridge.
Ahead of Hillcrest Road’s reopening, DART began segmented testing for the Silver Line’s western corridor, between DFW Airport and Carrollton, on January 22 and 23. Test runs are planned between 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. from just east of DFW Airport’s North Station to I-35. WFAA is seeking clarification on whether the equipment delay has impacted these test runs.
Since November, DART has been testing the track, signals, operating systems, and rail crossings in preparation for full vehicle testing.
“We’re excited to showcase the Silver Line in North Texas and demonstrate how the new trains will operate,” said Trey Walker, DART’s vice president of capital design and construction. “We’re applying lessons from our initial test run between Plano and Richardson late last year and are making strong progress toward testing the entire 26-mile corridor this summer.”
DART also confirmed that simulated test runs have been taking place between DFW Airport’s Terminal B and the Cypress Waters Station from midnight to 4 a.m. since January 26. Additional test runs to I-35 in Carrollton are expected between 8 a.m. and 5 p.m. through mid-February.