So, again, TX DOT was going to close the Lawther-Northwest Highway intersection for two years. The neighborhood said, “I don’t THINK so”, and TX DOT changed plans a bit. Back Talk reader James Wilson sent us updated plans, which he learned from his White Rock Valley neighborhood association last week. According to an e-mail sent to the neighborhood, a meeting with city planner Sherry Sefko and the project engineer revealed the following:

Lawther between Northwest and Mockingbird will be closed for approx 12 months while the westbound main lanes/bridge are being built across the intersection (that’s the section/half you see going up now). What that means? During that time, traffic on Northwest will continue its present flow of two eastbound and two westbound lanes on the existing pavement sections; westbound Northwest traffic will only be able to turn right/north onto Lawther (in front of Duncan’s/lawnmower shop); southbound Lawther traffic (leaving the White Rock Valley neighborhood) will only be able to turn right/west onto Northwest (no left-turns, and no straight-through movements to Mockingbird).

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Later this year or early 2011, construction of the eastbound main lanes and bridge will wrap up. At that time, westbound Northwest \ traffic will remain as is; eastbound Northwest traffic will be temporarily shifted to use the new main lanes/bridge (which will eventually carry westbound traffic).

Once both directions of Northwest traffic are shifted to their permanent main lanes/bridge structures, Lawther north of Northwest will be completely closed so it can be raised up to the new grade of the main lanes/bridge.

The final geometry of the Northwest-Lawther intersection will be an at-grade, signalized intersection, as it has always been, just elevated about 5 feet higher than before.

Eventually, Goforth Road (at the Park building) and E. Lawther will be closed for a few weeks while they are also raised to meet the new grade of the main lanes/bridge. The finished intersection will not have signals, only STOP signs as it has been in the past.

The TX DOT rep during the meeting reportedly promised to do their best to keep access to businesses at Lawther (bike shop) open. They say they are “working on a possible solution to make sure the north-south hike and bike trail at Lawther can remain open”.

Ultimately, the trails at both Lawther and Goforth will be grade-separated (i.e., they will pass underneath the main lanes/bridge with enough clearance for pedestrians, bicycles, horses, etc.), and will connect with each other via a new east-west trail segment paralleling Northwest between Lawther/Goforth.