Traffic News

Watch for major traffic shift plus brand-new exit on downtown Dallas freeway

St. Patrick's Day weekend will bring a major traffic shift for Dallas motorists driving on I-30, as well as a brand-new freeway connection in the Dallas Mixmaster.

The new direct connector will allow drivers who are moving eastbound on I-30 to go directly to southbound I-35E. It replaces the old routine where you had to exit the freeway via the Riverfront exit to get an on-ramp for I-35E.

You can access this new freeway exit, labeled Exit 45B, by staying in the middle lane just after Beckley Avenue.

The shift will move eastbound I-30 traffic — coming from Arlington — to the two left lanes between Beckley Avenue and Riverfront Boulevard. If you're eastbound on I-30 and headed northbound on I-35E, the exit will now be to the right.

Work to perform the traffic shift will require various lane closures along eastbound I-30 on the evenings of March 17 and 18. All lanes will be restored in their new alignments by March 19.

For drivers coming from Arlington into downtown Dallas, the new "decision point" to split off into different directions will fall just after the Trinity River and the Margaret McDermott bridge arches. New signage for eastbound I-30 will direct traffic to remain in the left lane as well.

Traffic headed north on I-35E will stay on the right.

Drivers will get plenty of warning, beginning with digital message boards just after Hampton Road.

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 the new traffic movements.

If the photo above does not fully convey the magic, you can also see it explained on a video, posted here.

Study this diagram carefully before driving this weekend.

Photo courtesy of Dallas Horseshoe

Study this diagram carefully before driving this weekend.

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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