Project Description | Study Area Map | Public Meeting Notice and Slide Presentation | Managed Lanes | General Purpose Lanes | Access Chart | North Tarrant Express

Project Description

The Fort Worth District is currently planning improvements for SH 121/SH 183 (Airport Freeway) from IH 820 to SH 161. The existing highway includes three general purpose lanes each direction. Proposed improvements are planned to include three general purpose lanes in each direction with three managed lanes in each direction for a total of twelve lanes with frontage roads for future traffic volumes.

The preliminary design concepts and alternatives for the corridor are being reevaluated to include additional managed lanes in the median of the proposed general purpose lanes. The layouts are currently being updated to include three general purpose and three managed lanes each direction. A managed lane facility is one that increases freeway efficiency by packaging various operational and design actions. Lane management operations may be adjusted at any time to better match regional goals. This includes evaluating opportunities for congestion management through a combination of three variables: hours of operation, auto occupancy, and value/toll pricing.

The Preferred Alternative provides a unique configuration that provides a choice evenly split between general purpose freeway lanes, and managed lanes with frontage roads. General purpose lanes and managed lanes offer motorists a choice between higher service levels and greater accessibility in a corridor that is facing increasing congestion.

The Preferred Alternative has been developed in close cooperation with local elected officials at the city and county level, city staffs, regional planners and civic groups to provide input to TxDOT. A series of meetings at progressive stages of design development were utilized to give opportunity for input into creating the Preferred Alternative. Access locations to the managed and general purpose lanes are shown in the access chart.

The study includes preparation of a preliminary geometric layout and environmental assessment that will depict the proposed improvements in detail. A public meeting was conducted on May 25, 2006 to provide the public the opportunity to review and provide comments on the Preferred Alternative. The environmental document and preliminary geometric layout are being updated, and will be reviewed by TxDOT and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA). Once approval for further processing is received from the FHWA, a public hearing will be scheduled. At this time, the public hearing is tentatively scheduled for spring 2008. If any further information about the project is desired, please contact John Tillinghast, P.E. at (817) 370-6594 or you may e-mail your comments to jtilly@dot.state.tx.us.