Phase 1 of the LBJ Project

Phase 1 of the LBJ Project

The first phase of the $2.7 billion LBJ Express project will open up this Saturday, Dec. 14, hopefully alleviating some of the traffic woes that have constantly plagued the area.

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As Advocate reported back in August, the first phase of construction — a three-mile stretch of toll roads between Preston and Greenville called TEXpress lanes — are supposed to offer drivers a minimum speed of 50 mph and create more capacity for adjacent general highway lanes.

Toll rates will vary from 15 to 95 cents during the first four weeks after opening, but motorcycle drivers and people who register for HOV/carpool status will have lower fees. Click here to see specific information on the toll rates.

After a six-month review period, pricing on the TEXpress lanes will vary, depending on traffic volume and travel speed, or supply and demand — so the tolls could go up even higher as more cars use the toll lanes. Dallas Morning News reports that after drivers adjust to the new lanes, “LBJ Infrastructure will begin altering prices based on traffic conditions. And there will be no cap on how high the rates could be.”

In preparation for the opening of the TEXpress lanes, here are a couple of things to plan for: First of all, there will be a traffic switch on Tuesday, Dec. 10, that will place drivers on the new westbound permanent general purpose lanes from Preston to the Dallas North Tollway. (The switch had been previously scheduled for Sunday evening but weather delayed the closures.)

Beginning at 8 p.m. tonight, traffic on the westbound lanes of I-635 will be reduced to one lane from Hillcrest to just west of the Dallas North Tollway.

Access to the southbound Dallas North Tollway from westbound I-635 will be closed during this time, as well as the westbound exit to Inwood/Dallas Parkway. Additionally, entrance ramps from Preston and Hillcrest will be closed. Drivers are urged to utilize LBJ’s new access roads during the closures.

The closed lanes are scheduled to reopen by 6 a.m. on Wednesday.

Secondly, LBJ Express is holding an open house for the public to learn more about how to best navigate the new flow of traffic — or any other LBJ Express construction questions — on Thursday, Dec 12, from 4-7 p.m. at Park Central Building 9 (12790 Merit Drive, 7th Floor).