Traffic News

These 2 ramps in the Dallas Mixmaster are about to get their signs on

Traffic changes are coming to downtown.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Horseshoe

Two ramps along westbound I-30 are about to get their final polish and will be open for business on February 18. Ta-da! The two ramps are coming from the "Canyon" area, in the thick of downtown.

The first ramp is the westbound I-30 connection to southbound I-35E. To access this ramp, drivers will take Exit 46A along westbound I-30 and remain in the two left lanes along the frontage road.

The second ramp is an elevated ramp that was once used as the temporary westbound I-30 exit to southbound I-35E. It will now serve as the off-ramp from westbound I-30 to Colorado Boulevard. To access the new Colorado Boulevard exit, drivers from westbound I-30 will also take Exit 46A and remain in the two right lanes along the frontage road.

These ramps will be placed in their permanent roadway alignments this weekend, after an overnight traffic shift on February 17. Drivers can begin using the two ramps by Saturday morning, February 18. New signage will designate both of the ramps.

But here's the warning: To perform the work, crews will close the westbound I-30 exits to both north and southbound I-35E on Friday, February 17, beginning at 10 pm and lasting overnight. Traffic will be directed to use Woodall Rodgers Freeway as a detour for these closures.

But then it's smooth sailing. After the traffic shift, downtown Dallas drivers will be able to use both entrance ramps from Canton and Harwood Streets to access the following sets of main lanes: westbound I-30, northbound I-35E, and southbound I-35E.

A detailed video explaining these upcoming traffic changes is available on the Dallas Horseshoe project YouTube page.

All work is subject to weather and may be postponed if necessary. Message boards and signs will be placed along the roadway to advise motorists of new traffic movements and detours. The public can stay up-to-date about traffic closures and changes by signing up for Text Alerts by sending the message "dallashorseshoe" to 31996.

The Dallas Horseshoe Project is the $798 million roadway construction project by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) to improve traffic flow through the heart of downtown Dallas. It is dubbed the "Horseshoe project" due to its U shape. Construction improvements include the expansion, repaving, and addition of several new bridges and roadways along interstates 30 and 35E, and the construction of a new signature bridge, the Margaret McDermott Bridge, over I-30. The project started in April 2013 and is scheduled for completion this summer.

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Weed News

Texas AG Ken Paxton sues Dallas over decriminalization of marijuana

Photo courtesy of US Fish & Wildlife

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The City of Dallas has been sued by Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton for its efforts to decriminalize marijuana.

According to a release, Paxton has sued the city for adopting a city charter amendment that would decriminalize marijuana-related offenses and prohibit police from enforcing Texas law.

That amendment was Proposition R, or Dallas Freedom Act, which decriminalizes possession of four ounces of marijuana or less. Voters passed the amendment in the November 5 election, with 67 percent voting in favor.

The lawsuit, filed against the Dallas City Council, alleges that Proposition R is unconstitutional and violates Texas drug laws criminalizing any amount of marijuana.

Paxton says that cities can't "pick and choose which state laws to follow." He's proposing a permanent injunction to stop Proposition R from going into effect.

"The City of Dallas has no authority to override Texas drug laws or prohibit the police from enforcing them," says Paxton in a statement. "This is a backdoor attempt to violate the Texas Constitution, and any city that tries to constrain police in this fashion will be met swiftly with a lawsuit by my office.”

Before the recent election, possession of two to four ounces of marijuana could result in a punishment of 180 days in jail and a $2,000 fine.

Ground Game Texas, the activist nonprofit that has also helped get marijuana decriminalization on the ballot in elections across Texas, first got the issue on the ballot in July with the necessary 50,000 signatures.

Dallas is not the only city to be sued; Paxton also filed lawsuits against five other cities in Austin, Denton, Elgin, Killeen, and San Marcos in January for their ballots and policies decriminalizing marijuana.

Both Austin and San Marcos had a judge overturn their cases, according to a FOX 4 report.

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