Little Change in Southern Dallas – Highway Edition

As the terms of four Dallas City Council Members expire, and Mayor Laura Miller rides into the sunset, I think about the difference in Southern Dallas now verses 6 to 8 years ago.  Most any candidate runs on a platform of change, when seeking to be elected to a city post.  The candidates for the city council seats will promise more economic development for their districts, and the mayoral candidates will ALL promise a new commitment to the Southern Sector.  I'm going to focus on the status of some of these promises, and contrast them with activity in other areas of town; beginning with local highways. In my W-2 job, I drive around Dallas all day everyday.  I get to watch new building projects from start to finish, as I pass them during my drive about the city.  It makes me wonder if the council members ever leave Dallas City Hall, or their own council districts to see that the disparity amongst the north and south are real, not just the tired cliché that it has become. As you travel the main highways of the south, Interstates 35 and 20, and Highway 67, the freeways have changed little themselves, with the exception of HOV lanes for 35 and 67.  There aren't even sound walls to block traffic noise from I-35 or Hwy. 67, despite the fact that there are countless residences right along the freeway.   Contrast that with the new North Central Expressway (Highway 75), an architectural and aesthetic masterpiece, and the expansive High Five project at the 635/75 interchange, which is one of the most expensive road projects ever for the State of Texas.  It is difficult to remember what these roads even looked like before their massive overhauls Some may point to the nearly completed improvements to Interstate 30 West of Downtown, and the Frontage Roads being added to Interstate 20 as signs of progress.  I'll blog on the 20 frontage roads in future posts, but the Interstate 30 upgrade has been substantial.  It's sometimes hard for me to view this portion of the city as southern Dallas, but since you have to cross the Trinity to get there, and it’s inhabited mostly Blacks and Hispanics, it qualifies by most accepted standards. I'll be the first to admit, the new I-30 boasts wide lanes, improved lighting, and highly visible signage.  When driving down this stretch of Tom Landry Freeway between downtown and Loop 12, you can tell that they did more than just fill potholes.  The budding retail/office center at Pinnacle Park (Cockrell Hill Exit) will benefit from these changes, and other retailers are on the way. Loop 12 has seen it's share of dirt, concrete and tractors over the last year or so, but I can hardly tell what the results will be.  I know there will be HOV lanes north and south, but I'm not sure how many morning and evening commutes will reap the benefits.  Anything will help, as this is one of the most notorious bottleneck sections in town, just listen to any morning traffic report: "And we have a back up this morning on Loop 12 Walton Walker from Jefferson all the way back to Spur 408."   Though it may not be top of mind in discussions of economic development and neighborhood improvements, the local highway system is vital to the lifeblood of the city.  Investments in highways signify progress or expected progress.  The next big projects will be I-30, the canyon, between 45 and 35, and the mess on Stemmons (35) headed south in to Oak Cliff at 30.  For now, I-35 and Hwy 67 will have to be happy with their HOV lanes