Dead Man's Curve

lakewoodhobo
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Dead Man's Curve

Postby lakewoodhobo » 30 Apr 2018 11:17

It's been a year since this project has been in the news, but the most recent Google Maps update gives you a nice look at the progress made here.

Screen Shot 2018-04-30 at 11.10.28 AM.jpg
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jrd1964
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby jrd1964 » 01 May 2018 09:32

The last time I drove through there, they'd taken out the TX 310 overpass and were preparing embankments so that US 175 would be able to go over S.M. Wright and connect to the new section over to I-45. It's too bad that the new terminus will just have west-to-north and south-to-east movements, leaving no direct connection to southbound I-45 from US 175 nor a connection from northbound I-45 to US 175. But at least it'll be better than what's been there for decades.

Tnexster
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby Tnexster » 04 May 2018 21:56

Nice to see this project so far along, soon the 175 project will begin followed by some intense interest in this area. I understand the property buys are already underway so what will this area become? So close to downtown and an easy commute if you work downtown we could see a dramatic change here in the not too distant future.

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jrd1964
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby jrd1964 » 04 May 2018 23:35

Depends on where the exits along the US 175 realignment will be placed, as to what will end up there and the resulting access. Unless you are referring more to the eventual finished parkway/boulevard that S.M. Wright will become, which will have much more access possibilities. There hasn't been a whole lot of action or demand along the redeveloped stretch of Bexar Street just north of US 175 up to now, but maybe things will improve economically along the redone corridors.

Tnexster
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby Tnexster » 05 May 2018 10:17

Some animations and such....

http://smwrightproject.org/

itsjrd1964
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby itsjrd1964 » 10 Dec 2018 15:10

How a South Dallas neighborhood wrecked by a freeway can become whole again

Our Mr. Wilonsky weighs in on the present--and the future--of the area once construction comes to completion, and economic development brings true change to a neighborhood.

https://www.dallasnews.com/opinion/comm ... hole-again

itsjrd1964
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby itsjrd1964 » 22 Feb 2020 22:49

It looks like construction work on US 175 is about to turn a corner, so to speak. Ch.5 is reporting that traffic will be routed off the infamous curve and onto the new connection and terminus at I-45 over the weekend. Once that is all done, work can begin to transform S.M. Wright into a parkway/boulevard.

www.nbcdfw.com/news/traffic/dangerous-n ... d/2315655/

Tnexster
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby Tnexster » 25 Feb 2020 21:22

This has been a long time coming, so this will be done this coming weekend? Very excited for the SM Wright project to get underway.

itsjrd1964
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby itsjrd1964 » 26 Feb 2020 00:42

I haven't been able to get down there to see for myself. I am hearing elsewhere online that the transition wasn't quite as quick as Ch.5 advertised. One of the directions is slowly opening up, the other is yet to open. I don't remember as to which direction opened up first, I'll have to look again.

It's weird that only Ch.5 (not any of the other stations, nor the DMN) has been the only media so far even mentioning this. It may not be the High Five or the Mixmaster, but it's still a *very* transformative project, and it should have been done _decades_ ago.

itsjrd1964
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby itsjrd1964 » 27 Feb 2020 10:32

I think I've found out the correct status so far.

It looks like the eastbound lanes of the new section have opened up, as well as the direct I-45 connection to those eastbound lanes.

If you don't exit at the new US 175 exit and try to use S.M. Wright instead, there won't be any US 175 signage at the exit. You would be able to travel as far south as the Elsie Faye Heggins (ex-Hatcher St.) exit, then you would be diverted off on a detour. I haven't heard whether the detour is down the service road, or off onto side streets.

Coming westbound on US 175, there is an exit you must take (I'm not sure if it's Bexar St., or a new one for S.M. Wright)... you aren't yet able to drive on over with the new lanes to I-45.

I don't know if there's any new permanent guide signage yet on any of the open new sections, or if it's just temporary construction-style stuff.

For those coming north on I-45, there are no direct exit ramps to eastbound US 175 (it would be nice if that does get rectified in the future). There will be (if they're not done already) new or redone ramps to Lamar for northbound I-45 traffic, in the vicinity of the new US 175 interchange.

Someone has already updated Google Maps with what is open:
20200227_100742.jpg
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I45Tex
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby I45Tex » 27 Feb 2020 14:36

I don't think the cost-benefit analysis would support adding a northbound 45 to eastbound 175 ramp in the future. There are very few origin-destination pairs being traveled that are significantly improved by it, compared to other uses of that amount of public investment.

Most pairs originating outside Loop 12 wouldn't head that far north to catch 175 anyway, compared to heading east on Great Trinity Parkway or I-20. Most pairs coming from inside Loop 12 wouldn't be entering I-45 in the first place.

itsjrd1964
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby itsjrd1964 » 10 Mar 2020 15:24

New update::::
Just got an email earlier today from one of the local traffic reporters, who heard from a TxDOT spokesperson, who said westbound US 175 should open to I-45 by mid-April. That could change if weather is an issue in-between; at the latest, it would be May before all is fully done.

Apparently, according to the email, there has been an issue with traffic detouring through various parts of South Dallas. It didn't say whether that has been a problem throughout the project, or just in the recent weeks' transition to the new connection and interchange.

Another newsbit: Any traffic still wanting to use S.M. Wright after US 175 has been fully moved off of it, will at some point (now, or the end of the S.M. Wright conversion, the email isn't specific) encounter a 35 mph speed limit. I would guess when all is finally done.

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casperitl
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby casperitl » 18 Mar 2020 08:59

A ton of bad traffic has been dumped off onto side streets starting around Pine Street down to Hatcher and then into Rochester Park/Bonton. It was really bad a couple weeks ago as the traffic apps had not yet updated.

itsjrd1964
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby itsjrd1964 » 18 Mar 2020 13:35

Well, they can't finish this project soon enough. Yet another accident there Tuesday night, as an 18-wheeler jackknifes at the curve.

https://www.nbcdfw.com/news/local/jackk ... s/2333316/

itsjrd1964
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby itsjrd1964 » 02 Jul 2020 11:01

It's been 4 months since the new eastbound lanes on US 175 have been open from the new I-45 interchange.

Now, we're about to get the westbound version.

But first, the traffic reporters say there will be 2 closures::::
* Tonight, westbound traffic on US 175 will be detoured at the Second Ave-Bruton exit from 8pm to 6am tomorrow morning; the detour will be along Second, then left on Elsie Faye Heggins St. (was Hatcher St.) to S.M. Wright, then right into town.
* Monday night, the same detour as tonight, but will last from 10:30pm to 6am Tuesday.

After the detour markings and barriers are pulled away Tuesday, the decades-long mess will be over with, as those who travel US 175 will finally have a better connection in/out of Dallas.

Then the fun begins for those in the neighborhoods along S.M. Wright, as it begins its transformation.

itsjrd1964
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Re: Dead Man's Curve

Postby itsjrd1964 » 07 Jul 2020 11:54

Well, it only took 56 1/2 years, but drivers have no more dead-man's-curve to put up with. The new westbound lanes of US 175 are open all the way to I-45, as of this morning :!: :!: :!:

Great to finally see it done. I guess it's another case of better-late-than-never.