Big D Big Dig

[I45Tex]

At Fitzhugh, I-30 bends to head for the Trinity, but if it had tunneled under the river instead, the route might have had other options. If we imagine a new right of way, a 10,000-foot tunnel would feed the eastern end of Woodall Rodgers. And if it continued another 1.25 miles underground, it could be a direct express route from both 183 Texpress and DNT. What do you think?

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And inset:

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[I45Tex]

A tandem, West Dallas tunnel would be capable of linking Woodall Rodgers to I-30 on its other end as well...

and unless its exits are too closely spaced to meet Interstate Highway System standards, it would become a completed auxiliary interstate, which as a bypass would be signed I-230, 430, 630 or 830. This would offer direct US75 and DNT access to eastbound people without having to pass thru the mixmaster.

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of ... ays#Bypass

[I45Tex]

We can imagine a future, however, in which this bypass was so useful that it became the route of choice. It inspires someone to propose reuniting the Deep Ellum and Fair Park neighbors with a teardown campaign for Old I-30 between Schepps and Fitzhugh, and at that point, this bypass would become simply I-30. The piece of I-30 separating the Cedars from Downtown, by contrast, would become I-145.

[I45Tex]

We can imagine a future ... teardown campaign for Old I-30 between Schepps and Fitzhugh, and at that point, this bypass would become simply I-30. The piece of I-30 separating the Cedars from Downtown, by contrast, would become I-145.

An alternative outcome in that same scenario would be for the aforementioned piece to bring I-45 just west to the Dallas Horseshoe Interchange (2013-2017) formerly known as Dallas Mixmaster (1964-2016). It would then not be a spur but the mainlanes, interchanging as normal with I-35. Via the McDermott Bridge, I-45 would continue across the river to terminate at I-30 again, at a new junction where it met the West Dallas I-30 tunnel west from Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge.