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TxDOT seeks your 2 cents about I-345 freeway in downtown Dallas

Should it stay or should it go.

Photo courtesy of Christopher Mann

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is hosting meetings to hear what people want to do about Interstate 345, the stretch of highway on the east side of downtown Dallas that extends from I-30 to Woodall Rogers Freeway.

TxDOT is at the beginning of a process of conducting a feasibility study, which will analyze all the alternatives. That process is expected to take place over the next two years. It starts with these meetings.

A spokesperson says that the agency is completely open to all suggestions, with no restriction on ideas.

So far, four plans have been floated:

Remove it completely
Rebuild it so that it's below street level like US-75
Get rid of some of the on ramps to reduce its profile on surface streets
Leave it alone

But if you have other input on the future of I-345, now's the time to speak up.

The meetings will be held in an "open house" format, with maps showing the location as well as info about how they're going to approach the study. Representatives from TxDOT and project consultants will be available to answer questions.

Coalition For a New Dallas, a group advocating the removal of I-345, calls this an opportunity to rebuild Dallas' urban core. They say that replacing I-345 with boulevards, and transforming the surrounding 245 acres into a mixed-income, mixed-use neighborhood will generate jobs, create affordable housing, and improve the quality of life.

The opposition is less organized, but protests the loss of freeway access for vehicles wanting to cut across town.

The meetings are as follows:

Tuesday December 3, 6-8 pm: CityPlace Conference Center (Lakewood Room) at 2711 N. Haskell Ave. The presentation takes place at 7 pm. Parking for self-park is complimentary and will be validated with a parking ticket.

Thursday December 5, 10 am-8 pm. Sheraton Dallas Hotel ballroom at 400 N. Olive St. Presentations will be held at 12 noon, 4:30 pm, and 7 pm. Parking for self-park is complimentary and will be validated with a parking ticket.

If you can't make the meetings but have something to say, you can submit written comments. You can submit them in person at the public meetings, or by mail to TxDOT Dallas District Office, ATTN: Mr. Travis Campbell, P.E., TxDOT Project Manager, 4777 E. Highway 80, Mesquite, Texas 75150-6643. You can also email at 345study@txdot.gov.

Written comments must be postmarked by Friday, December 20, 2019 to be included in the public meeting documentation.

One hot dog

DFW Airport pup sniffs out victory in TSA’s cutest canine contest

Photo courtesy of Transportation Security Administration

Say "cheese," Bolt!

The next time you fly through Dallas Fort Worth International Airport, you might bump into the U.S. Transportation Security Administration’s new top dog.

No, we’re not talking about the TSA’s top boss. We’re talking about a doggone cute canine.

Bolt, a three-year-old, brown-coated German shorthaired pointer, just won the TSA’s annual Cutest Canine Contest. All entrants in the contest were TSA bomb-sniffing dogs.

Travelers voted on social media for the agency’s most precious pup, choosing from among four finalists in different regions of the U.S. TSA canine handlers at U.S. airports initially nominated 85 dogs. Agency employees then voted online to whittle the list to four finalists.

Bolt bomb-sniffing dog Bolt is a three-year-old, brown-coated German shorthaired pointer.Photo courtesy of TSA

Bolt’s handler, Daphne Wang, describes him as “such a character and a hard-working little guy.”

“He absolutely loves his job and coming to work,” Wang says in a release.

“I am so happy he gets to show the world his quirky personality. It’s definitely an adventure working with Bolt every day,” she adds. “There is nothing ordinary about him. He works hard and plays even harder. He is always in working mode, even at home. He is never short on energy and is always 1,000 percent excited to go to work.”

WebMD describes German shorthaired pointers like Bolt as a “loyal and loving breed” known for its hunting prowess.

“They’re intelligent and full of energy, so they won’t be happy lazing about all day,” says WebMd.

TSA canines like Bolt and their handlers move through groups of people to sniff out the odor of explosives. A handler learns to notice subtle changes in their canine’s behavior if an explosive device appears to have aroused the dog’s senses.

“Explosives-detection canine teams are one of TSA’s most effective and visible layers of security,” says TSA Administrator David Cummins. “These highly trained dogs and their handlers help detect threats in dynamic transportation environments, deter potential attacks, and give travelers confidence that TSA is using proven, adaptable capabilities to protect the traveling public.”

Bolt TSA dog Bolt moves through groups of people to sniff out the odor of explosives. Photo courtesy of TSA

Photo courtesy of Transportation Security Administration

Say "cheese," Bolt!

TSA canines and handlers undergo training at a facility in San Antonio.

The federal government launched canine training in 1972. The training program came under TSA’s control following the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

TSA-led bomb-sniffing teams began by screening air cargo in 2008. Three years later, the agency expanded the program to include passengers.

“Canines are an essential part of our team at TSA,” says Ha Nguyen McNeill, the agency’s deputy administrator. “As cute as Bolt and our other canines are, the work they do is vital for TSA’s national security mission.”

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