FORT WORTH – When it's time to clock out, the employees at a truck repair shop on the outskirts of Fort Worth say they'd actually rather stay put.
That's how bad traffic is on Interstate 35.
"You don't want to be around there at 5 or 4," says Roman Dominguez. "And now that school's started, it's even twice as bad."
According to the Texas Department of Transportation, a 4-mile portion of Interstate 35W in northern Fort Worth is the worst in the state, wasting more than 2 million hours of drive time a year.
A planned expansion would nearly double capacity, stretching the freeway there from four to eight lanes beginning just outside the city limits, stretching almost to Alliance Airport.
The project includes toll lanes, guaranteeing a speedier journey –– if, that is, you're willing to pay.
"For the portion closer to downtown we're going to rebuild what's there to new standards," says TxDOT spokesperson Tony Hartze. "So you might have longer entrance ramps and exit ramps because that road is dated to the 60s and 70s. So it's about time for it to be replaced and widened."
The deal is part of the nearly $3 billion North Tarrant Express project.
Major construction on I-35 in Fort Worth won't begin until mid-next year. But, unfortunately for commuters, the project won't be done until 2018.
Email jstjames@wfaa.com
