Dallas Fort Worth Urban Forum

Alex Rodriguez

tamtagon wrote:I am enjoying this discussion, thought not reading as thoroughly as I would like. Thanks for the microscopic attention you guys are giving!

LOL! We are getting pretty daggone Microscopic!!!

Alex Rodriguez

You asked if CityMAP included that portion of Woodall Rogers in its study area.. it does. I wasn't saying it is part of I-30 tear-down. Buuuut, traffic impacts on that portion of WR are included in the congestion figures. That's how study areas and traffic studies work. They may not have gone into ...

Alex Rodriguez

Lol yes, obviously the lists of things you do in each project are different because you have to do different things to trench a highway than you do to replace it with a boulevard. Look, this CityMap study is cool, its very interesting. But its not the Bible. You don't HAVE to do Project Pegasus to ...

Alex Rodriguez

And CityMap DOES NOT address that portion of Woodall, only the Northeast part of it where it joins 345/75. If you disagree, PLEASE CITE PAGE NUMBER FOR EVIDENCE. Page 41 details the entire study area. And you know there's a whole chapter on the area where Woodall meets I-35, right? Pages 142-159. A...

Alex Rodriguez

If you don't build Cotton Belt, aside from the fact that you likely lose Addison and maybe Plano and DART falls apart after that, you likely don't see any additional rail be built in our lifetimes. Without Cotton Belt you have a 100% chance that rail is never built on Madill corridor. You have 100% ...

Alex Rodriguez

Once you get on Woodall Rogers, you will have to make a left turn at Stemmons using the single lane loop by turning right. Then you would have to merge who knows how many lanes to avoid turning west on I-30 and turning south on I-35, then make the exit for the old US -75 exit at Cesar Chavez. Inste...

Alex Rodriguez

What I think you're arguing (and correct me if this isn't what you're arguing) is that the cost estimate for tear-down should actually be higher b/c it should include an I-30 rebuild.* Ok. So, adding that extra $600 mil to tear-down gets us at a cost estimate ~$100-200 million higher than below-gra...

Alex Rodriguez

The whole impetus for this discussion was your post way back when and supposition that tearing down I-345 has little to no impact on traffic numbers. You posted Hours of delay in 2040: Tear Down - 163.8k Lower - 163.1k Replace - 161.3k I said post the link where you get this. You did. I read it. Pag...

Alex Rodriguez

I just found this, I-30 Project Pegasus estimate was $600 million dollars in 2015. It's the Canyon from I-30 to I-45. Again, $600 Million just to do the I-30 rebuild prerequisite for the Tear Down Scenario as described on page 191 of your report. $600 million estimate 2 years ago, by the time its ac...

Alex Rodriguez

I would rather they do a full tunnel anyway. Trench is okay but full tunnel like Big Dig or Alaska Way in Seattle is how I would prefer they do it. But due to cost, likely will end up being a trench. As long as they don't do something dumb like build frontage roads, with a Trench you can reclaim a b...

Alex Rodriguez

Look #1, a new study is already underway, so most of the conversation is moot. #2 this CityMap report is 430 pages, and covers 10+ different projects and then various scenarios for several of those 10+ projects. That graphic you keep posting is talking about I-30 East, I-30 Project Pegasus, I-345, I...

Alex Rodriguez

As for I-30, the tear-down scenario just involves improvements to the frontage roads and rebuilt exit ramps. Trenching is the much larger and more complicated project with respect to I-30, as you have to build a highway underneath it and a whole new grade-switching highway interchange. Yes, a total...

Alex Rodriguez

And kidding aside, thanks for bringing that study to the discussion. Good to see what the different options look like. This study only reinforces my original point, which is you don't just simply tear down I-345 and be done. Someone earlier in this thread said "Based on the numbers from above. ...

Alex Rodriguez

Let me fix this for you :P The models for this project predict that overall congestion won't increase that much, if at the same time you tear down I-345 you also rebuild every major freeway and street in the greater Downtown Dallas area , though a significant portion of that congestion will be trans...

Alex Rodriguez

But that still leaves the Tear Down Scenario as requiring I-30 Project Pegasus, teardown of I-45 north of MLK to 30, rebuild and reconfiguration of Woodall Rogers and 75, and a bunch of work and interchanges for both Good Latimer and Cesar Chavez. None of that are required for the other two options...

Alex Rodriguez

And by the way, I'm not saying that anyone is trying to pull a fast one. What I'm saying is that for each option to have basically the same traffic impact, per the report: **Modify - you remove some ramps for CBD access **Below Grade - Trench I-345, partial rebuild of I45 and 366/75 interchanges. Ma...

Alex Rodriguez

*System for each scenario assumes the following projects or operational improvements are constructed: Southern Gateway, Lowest Stemmons, and Trinity Parkway 4 Lane 45MPH concept. I can assure that that TxDOT/HNTB are not total idiots with no idea how to do their jobs. And can also assure you that i...

Alex Rodriguez

I reviewed the document http://www.dallascitymap.com/DallasCityMAP_09272016_compressed.pdf, and the Remove Scenario numbers come out even with the other 2 scenarios after you rebuild the entire Downtown Dallas Freeway system. That is more of a pipe dream than burying I-345. Why? See Page 191 and 19...

Alex Rodriguez

I reviewed the document http://www.dallascitymap.com/DallasCityMAP_09272016_compressed.pdf, and the Remove Scenario numbers come out even with the other 2 scenarios after you rebuild the entire Downtown Dallas Freeway system. That is more of a pipe dream than burying I-345. Why? See Page 191 and 193...

Alex Rodriguez

The problem with tunneling I-345 is that I-30 is already 25 feet below grade. So to tunnel under I-30 will require tunneling I-345 50 feet below grade. Presently, at I-30, I-345 (or US-75) is 100 feet above I-30 or 75 feet above grade. So you will have to change it’s elevation by 125 feet. What abo...

Alex Rodriguez

Tanzoak, thanks for the info and thoughtful response. Like JeremySmith says, I think a toll is a real option to pay for it. 635 and 35 both have a toll component now, no reason why a tunnel or below grade 345 couldnt have some type of toll component.

Alex Rodriguez

If you can post the URL for that study, I'd like to see it. I think the name "Link" is technically accurate, but in practice not at all what I-345 is. It is a 2 mile section of one freeway named I45/US75. You are tearing down the middle of a freeway, period. I don't understand the resistan...

Alex Rodriguez

The Big Dig was a much more complicated project than what this would be. Not only did they have to bury all of the freeway in the North End but they built a tunnel underwater, under the Boston Main Channel, to Logan Airport. Much more linear mileage, and obviously tunnelling under basically the ocea...

Alex Rodriguez

This thread on the old site prolly had 50+ pages, shocked there isn't already one on here. Anyway, city voted to begin a study to either bury, or remove I-345. https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/commentary/2017/10/17/dallas-might-ready-bury-downtown-highway-time I've been in the bury camp since the ...

Alex Rodriguez

Well it was a few weeks late but its official: Southwest to begin service to Hawaii http://www.staradvertiser.com/2017/10/1 ... n-the-way/

Alex Rodriguez

Addison has barely paid anything for DART and they've gotten bus service. Plano gets next to nothing out of the Cotton Belt - they get 2 stations that are in close proximity to their other existing stations, which does nothing for the rest of the entire city. The only thing they really get out of i...

Alex Rodriguez

Electricron lays it out from a technical standpoint, and I agree they both need to be done. The political component in the Cotton Belt is there is a way better than zero chance that Addison bails from DART if it gets the shaft on the Cotton Belt. It's been promised one measly rail stop for 30 years ...

Alex Rodriguez

Good stuff Electricron. The new 737 Max7 Redesign announced last year (which would be bigger than originally proposed 737 Max7 & based off a simple shrink of the Max8) has an announced range of 3,850 nmi (4,430 mi; 7,130 km), and to be improved after 2021 to 3,915 nmi (4,505 mi; 7,251 km). South...

Alex Rodriguez

Hearing chatter that Southwest may be announcing service to Hawaii this week. They are title sponsor for a global tourism conference in Hawaii this week. Also end of the 733 and online of 73Max, along with reservation system changes, it would make sense. Would be pretty awesome to fly DAL-SJC-OGG on...

Alex Rodriguez

Over on an airline enthusiast website, they are stating AA wants to move away from the horse shoe concept and move to something like IAH or PHX terminal layout. Expect an announcement soon. A terminal layout like IAH or PHX would work being built in the median of International Parkway. Speeds would...

Alex Rodriguez

I think AA is looking for some deal with DFW for Terminal F and/or Terminal C. The airport just spent over a billion dollars renovating A, B, and E. The logistics required to bulldoze all 5 terminals to build one GIANT terminal that has the same amount or more gates (DFW has 165 currently, PHX has ...

Alex Rodriguez

I presume you meant to say F, not D, in your first paragraph. Where did you get the idea the new terminal will cost $3 Billion? You are correct I meant to say F. D cost $1.16 Billion and was completed 12 years ago. It would be minimum 5 years before its completed, so that is 17 years later. Constru...

Alex Rodriguez

I think its a lot of bluster from AA trying to get DFW to foot more of the bill for D. D is going to cost 3 billion alone, and thats with the people mover already finished, sitting there waiting for a terminal to service. Teardown/rebuild of terminals, tram, roads, taxiways will probably cost more ...

Alex Rodriguez

I think its a lot of bluster from AA trying to get DFW to foot more of the bill for D. D is going to cost 3 billion alone, and thats with the people mover already finished, sitting there waiting for a terminal to service. Teardown/rebuild of terminals, tram, roads, taxiways will probably cost more t...

Alex Rodriguez

I think AA is looking for some deal with DFW for Terminal F and/or Terminal C. The airport just spent over a billion dollars renovating A, B, and E. The logistics required to bulldoze all 5 terminals to build one GIANT terminal that has the same amount or more gates (DFW has 165 currently, PHX has ...

Alex Rodriguez

Carrollton is a good example, they signed up early, contributed 300M to DART, waited for decades to see progress only to see Legacy West come to life with a very weak link to DART. Then Frisco comes along, never contributes to DART but will have a direct connection into DFW via air taxi that will f...

Alex Rodriguez

What is Texas doing to take the economy past oil? Texas is far and away the biggest Wind Energy producer in the U.S., would be 5th in the world if it was an independent nation. Texas has a huge, growing Tech industry. Corporate HQ presence. Not sure what more Texas can do to diversify...but yay for...

Alex Rodriguez

Those stated problems can be dealt with easily but I strongly disagree with slapping another pricey bridge across even here. Our car culture populace inability to be safe with more than other cars is because we separate them too much. They have to mingle some or no one will ever learn to share the ...

Alex Rodriguez

BTW the other two infill locations are right here and here. The footing for the platform has already been built at all 3 locations.

Untitled2.png

Untitled3.png

Alex Rodriguez

Untitled.png

Its Right here.

Alex Rodriguez

They mention connecting the site to the DART rail line, but is there a station there? The only thing I see is the University of Dallas station, but this bridge wouldn't connect the site to that station (I don't believe). The guts for a future in-fill station are already in place at this location, b...

Alex Rodriguez

So the project is essentially done as of now. What is everyone's thoughts on the outcome of this project? Generally, it appears to be a major improvement, but there is still one very significant bottle neck that this project appears to have made much, much worse, which is very (VERY) frustrating: w...

Alex Rodriguez

Man, the DART board has really shot itself in the foot on this one. We NEED both the cotton belt and D2, and now we may get neither. Now the suburban DART members might even pull out of the organization completely. Fucking morons. Sadly I have to agree with this. Everyone should know by now that DA...

Alex Rodriguez

I went ahead and poked the bear since I was all worked up about Flower Mounds terrible lights. Thought you guys might find this interesting if you have 5-10 minutes. Email thread starts at bottom.... So tiring to hear "traffic studies" and "its so hard." Pretty much the same answ...

Alex Rodriguez

The drive on 2499 between 407 and 3040 is awful. Flower Mound is the absolute worst about the timing of lights, and they have installed lights seemingly every 50 feet on that stretch, virtually every one of them is geared to trip when a single car approaches the intersection from the side street. It...

Alex Rodriguez

On the TxDot Letting Schedule you used to be able to see all of the money allocated to the project but now all I can find between 2014-2018 in the Dallas District for this project is $70 million for this portion of the project. CCSJ: 0196-03-268 District: DALLAS Let Date: Jun 2017 Highway: IH 35E Le...

Alex Rodriguez

Many years delayed, they finally had a grand opening last night. http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20170425005347/en/Much-Awaited-Riverwalk-Central-Park-Grand-Opening Not sure why they decided to have a "Grand Opening" now, except for the fact that the "River" is fully operat...

Alex Rodriguez

DART is overflowing with fantastic engineers, yet bereft of fantastic business people.

Alex Rodriguez

Great to see those lots finally redeveloped after all these years. The area around Inwood and Parkland Stations, from just West of Inwood to Just east of Parkland station has undergone significant transformation. The proximity of the two stations I think has created a synergy (along with with Medica...

Alex Rodriguez

$20 Million for the Circuit Trail, the Connector, is ridiculous. A "Signature Bridge" over I-35E when all you have to do is follow the creek bed under Stemmons and the access roads? Stupid. That Connector will never be built. Not to mention the crazy bridge over Houston St at Harry Hines. ...

Search found 107 matches