(ROCKWALL, TX — August 27, 2019) The Texas Transportation Commission (TTC) will meet on Thursday, Aug. 29 to consider approval of the 2020 Unified Transportation Program, which would officially green light TxDOT’s massive I-30 improvements project from Dalrock Road to FM 2642 in Rockwall County.

The Unified Transportation Program is a 10-year statewide plan for transportation project development. The Project Selection Process (PSP) is approved annually and describes the funding categories and process for selecting transportation projects.

The I-30 improvements project will see additional lanes and interchange improvements added to a 17-mile stretch of the I-30 corridor, including:

Reconstructing and/or widening I-30 from Dalrock Road at the Bayside interchange to west of FM 2642 in Rockwall County, approximately 17 miles through the cities of Garland, Rowlett, Rockwall, Mobile City, Fate, and Royse City.

Adding shoulders to the four main lanes of I-30 from Dalrock Road to Horizon Road (currently three lanes and one auxiliary lane in each direction).

Widening I-30 from six main lanes (three lanes in each direction) to eight main lanes (four lanes in each direction) from Dalrock Road to SH 205, and reconstruct the four discontinuous frontage roads (two lanes in each direction) to six-lane continuous frontage roads (three lanes in each direction), to include 12-foot-wide and eight-foot-wide bicycle and pedestrian paths crossing Lake Ray Hubbard.

Widening I-30 from four main lanes (two lanes in each direction) to six main lanes (three lanes in each direction) from SH 205 to west of FM 2642 (Hunt County Line), and reconstructing the existing four-lane frontage roads (two lanes in each direction).

Reconstructing the interchanges at Horizon Road, FM 548, and FM 35.

Constructing new interchanges at Ben Payne Road / Rochelle Road, Blackland Road, and Floyd Road (future Outer Loop), and associated ramp modifications.

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Rockwall County Commissioner David Magness said the improvements to the interchanges at Dalrock and Horizon will have a positive impact on traffic once they’re completed.

“Once those interchanges are completed, they will both bring a large amount of traffic congestion relief for citizens in Rockwall County,” Magness said.

The project requires around 34 acres of right-of-way (ROW) acquisition, with no residential, commercial and public facility displacements occurring as a result of the project. TxDOT estimates to have all of the ROW for the project acquired by June 2020.

“We hope to work very closely with the cities of Rockwall, Fate and Royse City to minimize the amount of disturbance to citizens commuting on the highway and merchants located along the corridor, to make sure the impact of construction is as little as possible,” he said.

A public hearing for the project was held in January of this year, giving residents the opportunity to view project design schematics and maps, talk with TxDOT representatives about the project, and submit written comments. Folks also heard a presentation on the environmental impacts of the project and how those would be addressed, including community impacts, traffic noise and right-of-way (ROW) acquisition. TxDOT received environmental clearance for the project in March 2019.

According to Magness, the first phase of the project will include improvements to the interchanges at Dalrock Road and Horizon Road, and the widening of I-30 from SH 205 to FM 2642. He said construction for the interchanges is estimated to start in early 2021, followed by the 205 to 2642 improvements within six months of the completion of the interchanges. Overall, Magness said TxDOT anticipates the phase will take a little over two years to be completed, with the entire project being completed around mid 2024.

“We see signs of some things that may be able to be sped up during the process, so we’re optimistic that we may be able to beat that time frame,” he said.

For more information regarding the I-30 project visit keepitmovingdallas.com.

Click here to view the agenda for the TTC meeting on Aug. 29, 2019.

By Austin Wells, Blue Ribbon News.