Traffic News

Major temporary road closures in the works for Dallas freeway project

It'll be especially problematic if you drive at night.

Photo courtesy of YouTube

There are more Dallas road closures coming, this time big ones, happening on I-35, big enough to merit an entire story dedicated to them.

It involves a full shut down of I-35, both northbound and south, as part of the Southern Gateway Project, the $666 million construction project by the Texas Department of Transportation that will rebuild and widen I-35E south of downtown Dallas, as well as widen US 67 between I-35E and I-20 and the I-35E/US 67 split.

Usually you might see one lane close, maybe two. You might see one direction of the freeway close, but not the other. But this is total shutdown.

The closures will take place at night and will close all lanes of northbound and southbound I-35E at Beckley Avenue, planned for the following dates and times:

9 pm Monday, April 29 through 5 am Tuesday, April 30
9 pm Tuesday, April 30 through 5 am Wednesday, May 1
9 pm Wednesday, May 1 through 5 am Thursday, May 2
9 pm Thursday, May 2 through 5 am Friday, May 3
9 pm Friday, May 3 through 8 am Saturday, May 4
9 pm Saturday, May 4 through 8 am Sunday, May 5

During these closures the northbound Beckley Avenue/Zang Boulevard exit ramp will be closed.

The following detours will be in place:

Southbound I-35E traffic will take the Beckley Avenue/12th Street exit, continue on the southbound frontage road, and take the temporary entrance ramp south of Beckley Avenue.

Northbound I-35E traffic will take the temporary exit ramp at Beckley Avenue and continue on the northbound frontage road to the entrance ramp from 12th Street.

All closures are subject to change due to weather or other unforeseen circumstances.

The public can stay up-to-date on construction progress, lane closures and traffic changes by signing up for text alerts and sending the message “The Southern Gateway” to 31996.

Other methods to learn more about the project include the project's Facebook page and twitter account.

The goal of the 11-mile project is to improve safety, provide congestion relief, address roadway deficiencies, and improve system linkage. Construction began in early 2018 with an anticipated completion of late 2021. The construction includes building two reversible, non-tolled express lanes.

transportation traffic

santa's favorite city

Dallas dazzles as the No. 2 most festive city in America this year

Photo by Stevan Koye

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Dallas' holiday spirit is shining extra bright: The city was just named the No. 2 most festive city in the nation according to a recently released annual report by home services provider Thumbtack.

This is the third year in a row that Dallas has prevailed, hanging onto the coveted No. 2 spot since 2022, with only Austin in its way for total list dominance.

The study compiled data from millions of holiday light installation requests across all 50 states between October 2023 to October 2024 to reveal their list of the most festive cities in the nation.

Dallas residents have plenty of citywide light displays to pull inspiration from for their own homes, including the new Coca-Cola Classic Christmas experience in Arlington, Dallas Zoo Lights, and many more.

Texas cities are far merrier than many other places in the country. Austin leads the nation as the No.1 most festive city for the third year in a row, but Houston ranks just behind Dallas in the No. 4 spot. Poor San Antonio saw a drop this year, coming in at No. 10, after previously ranking No. 5 in the 2023 report.

Texans living in Dallas-Fort Worth will have to get creative when it comes to their holiday decorating, as the weather doesn't always cooperate with the classic "White Christmas" theme. But that's to be expected from the No. 3 top warm-weather travel destination nationwide.

"In the milder climates, you probably won’t find a winter wonderland, but you might see plenty of twinkling lights, tinsel, and bold colors outside the traditional red, green, and white palette," the report's author wrote. "Neon baubles, vintage plastic Santa molds, and playful LED lights keep properties festive and bright. Native eucalyptus, olive branches, and succulents are used as greenery in place of traditional pine and fir."

Outsourcing that outdoor holiday decorating will cost a pretty penny, according to Thumbtack's analysts. The study said the average cost to hire a holiday lighting specialist can range from $168-$300, depending on the scope of the project and home size. Thumbtack also recommends Dallasites avoid hiring a lighting specialist during Thanksgiving weekend, which is the time period that sees the highest demand.

Thumbtack's top 10 most festive U.S. cities in 2024 are:

No. 1 – Austin, Texas
No. 2 – Dallas, Texas
No. 3 – Seattle, Washington
No. 4 – Houston, Texas
No. 5 – San Francisco, California
No. 6 – Atlanta, Georgia
No. 7 – Sacramento, California
No. 8 – Charlotte, North Carolina
No. 9 – Raleigh, North Carolina
No. 10 – San Antonio, Texas

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