isn't it unsafe to have a bike lane on a freeway like this? Dallas has a pretty extensive bike lane program, but they are on and will be on boulevards. Don't think there are enough motorcycles on LBJ to justify their own lane.
I have been on my soap box for sure......I will say I do agree this needed to be done to 635. I just disagree with how the toll system is justified by needing to pay for the project when infact the toll system is inplace for profit and a lot of profit at that.
@DIRTYSANCHEZ423 The Toll system is needed for this to be built and this was said many times during the planning stages. The toll system is also being used as a way to alter the congestion problems of the project. Do you realize this was going to be a really, really, REALLY expensive project complete with bored toll tunnels? TxDOT could not cover the cost so they tolled out a portion and came up with a less expensive project. Again, you don't have to pay to drive on it.
To those complaining; Don't drive on it. There are several east/west thoroughfares parallel to it. You know the best solution to congestion is to simply take another route? Or stop living so freaking far out and sprawling the metroplex so damn far north. That creates this traffic.
@rantanamo I need to get another route because I don't like the current conditions? That is not the solution to the issue I was complaining about in the first place. For the record please tell me the several "thoroughfares" parallel to it? Forrest Ln or GWB? Come on now let's not be silly about it. One last thing I should move closer and stop sprawling out the metroplex? Are you saying compact the suburbs back into the dallas city limits to reduce traffic? Sounds great NYC doesn't have traffic.
Not to defend it, but I don't get the complaining about tolls. Take the free portion. Toll portion will be there for those who want. For those complaining about the High Five, did you live in Dallas before it was built? Had to be one of the worst bottlenecks in the history of bottlenecks. Its not perfect now, but 1000x better than it was.
@rantanamo Maybe you will get this. Toll rates are getting out of hand and if you look at the money the NTTA collects a day you would be amazed. I can understand using tolls to pay for a project and maintence but, if that was the case tolls should decrese over time especally when the original project is paid in full, wouldn't you agree? That is not the case with the NTTA, look at the toll rate increases on GWB and the NDT for example they have skyrocketed in price just in the last 10 years
Bottom line is, we as a country expect a free ride for some reason. Maintenance on roads is very very expensive. So expensive that the current tax structure does not provide enough money to keep them up. The further out we sprawl, the more miles of highway needed. So it gets really expensive. We'll either have to pay with voluntary toll projects like this OR by raising either gas taxes bring gas prices to European levels or raise some other tax.
@rantanamo Also.....I do remember 635/75 before the High five it was a mess, I also remember when 75 was two lanes each way in the 90's both needed improvments and both got done without the use of toll booths. speaking of booths if you have noticed there are no more toll operators (it does make things faster with zip cash/toll tags) but those were jobs that were eleminated so all the money needed to pay employees went where? had to go somewhere because they didn't lower the rates thats for sure.
@DIRTYSANCHEZ423 remember back then the country and state was running a surplus. Not to get political, but we aren't anymore. Not to mention DFW and Texas have boomed in population since then. Again, not to get political, but our current tax structure doesn't keep up with that.
But seeing how greedy you guys are with the cost of tolls on the N Dallas toll way, GWB toll way and Sam Rayburn toll way it is highly unlikely that the tolls would be set at a reasonable price of $1 each way
Now let’s take in your growth estimations as well. If the demand is saying 500,000 cars a day by 2020 it could be paid off in 14 years at $1 each way.
You guys can do your jobs provide the area with what it needs without strong-arming us.
I am aware of the fact that I will not have to take the toll portion if I choose not to. I wouldn’t mind paying tolls if the NTTA was not so greedy. If tolls are set for just a $1 each way at your est 180,000 per day users it would take 20 years to pay off the project not bad seeing that it took about that long when I30 was a toll road, right?
NORTH TEXAS residents are tired of every new road in this area being TOLLED! I think every person that commutes down 635 during its construction phase should get a pass on tolls equal to the amount of time it took you build it for the inconvenence
@DIRTYSANCHEZ423 - we understand that construction is not ideal, but the roadway is currently designed for 180,000 cars per day. By 2020, there will be a demand of more than 500,000 cars per day. If the region does nothing, how would LBJ look then?
@lbjexpress What a snarky response. When someone is complaining about the roads being tolled, how exactly do you interpret that as them wanting nothing done? The problem isn't cars, the problem is sprawl. This project only encourages more. Why bring up those numbers anyways? The future road won't be able to handle the demand of 500,000 cars itself, according to your website, so the solution is to limit the supply by tolling the road? There are other solutions, they just aren't as profitable.
I drive from Lewisville to Garland every work day and I am extremly frustrated with the mess that has been made with 635. It wouldn't be so bad if knowing the HELL I have to go through to get to and from work now would pay off in the end but, it won't because you greedy people are going to toll it and get rich off of the people that use this road.
@DIRTYSANCHEZ423 - you won't be forced to pay a toll. Drivers will have a choice, use the managed lanes or stay on the traditional general purpose lanes. The total construction value of this project is over $2.7 billion. TxDOT simply doesn't have the money to build this project in the time frame we are doing it.
I have been a courier for about 28 years in North Texas and have seen it all, but believe me this will not work; it will be twice more congested. The reason is that the designers never look good enough at the interchanges and it’s merging problems. Based on this concept it will work better if you have at least four lanes for merging onto the interchanges instead of one or two and do away with the wasted HOV lanes and allow more extra traffic to move freely.
@DFWmetro - The managed lanes are designed to move traffic through the project faster. Drivers will have a choice to use them or stay with the four lanes as they are now.
@nicosituma I wonder what would happen to the people who takes the underground part when it snow or ice. I think they would get stuck with no way out.
@vietdude1979 - Part of this contract's 52 year life cycle is to clear snow and ice on the managed lanes, main lanes and the frontage roads. In the last snow and ice storm, we performed above TxDOT expectations.
Couple of questions: Are you keeping the current Ratcliff Walkway or putting up a new one? And, will the managed lanes be dug out from underneath Webb Chapel, or will Webb Chapel be raised?
Is a bigger highway the answer? Does more capacity reduce congestion or just encourage more people to drive? Dallas "improved" the high-five interchange a few years ago, yet traffic didn't improve. Instead of adding more concrete, what if Dallas invested in improving the quality of life in the city to reduce the need for commuting? Portland, OR is an example of this alternate thinking.
@MSE1957 - According to the Regional Transportation Council’s 2030 Mobility Plan, the eventual demand for this portion of LBJ is 500,000 vehicles per day by 2020.
Also, seeing the eastbound and westbound managed lanes separated by only poles and cables doesn't look like a good idea. Up for a high speed head-on crash with a drunk or distracted driver, anyone? My dear old dad, a career design engineer for the good old Texas Highway Dept, would be rolling over in his grave if he saw this.
@lbjexpress I'm being curious here on how are they going to do this? Are they going to be digging under the current highways? And finish in 5 years? I doubt it.
@vietdude1979 - our contract stipulates that we have heavy fines that go to the taxpayers if we do not finish this within 5 years. We are committed to performing above expectations.
@vietdude1979 I think they are going to just dig under, yes, since LBJ is mainly flat. But they are not doing all of LBJ, just a portion...This is needed tho... There is constant bumper to bumper traffic on all the highways in Dallas...
Cute, but it looks like the elevated parts of the main lanes will be unusable when there's ice in the winter. Are there going to be heating coils installed in the pavement so we don't have massive pileups? (That's a joke, son.)
Yea like they gonna fix and maintain lanes that are not toll lanes
dadan79 3 weeks ago
isn't it unsafe to have a bike lane on a freeway like this? Dallas has a pretty extensive bike lane program, but they are on and will be on boulevards. Don't think there are enough motorcycles on LBJ to justify their own lane.
rantanamo 1 month ago
no bike paths? should have a dedicated road for bikes and/or motorcycles/scooters or extremely light cars
rosskstar 1 month ago
@rosskstar do you have any examples of freeways built for this?
rantanamo 1 month ago
@rantanamo build it and they will come
rosskstar 1 month ago
pour that 2.7 billion into Hovercraft.....will take pressure off roads all over
rosskstar 1 month ago
I have been on my soap box for sure......I will say I do agree this needed to be done to 635. I just disagree with how the toll system is justified by needing to pay for the project when infact the toll system is inplace for profit and a lot of profit at that.
DIRTYSANCHEZ423 2 months ago
@DIRTYSANCHEZ423 The Toll system is needed for this to be built and this was said many times during the planning stages. The toll system is also being used as a way to alter the congestion problems of the project. Do you realize this was going to be a really, really, REALLY expensive project complete with bored toll tunnels? TxDOT could not cover the cost so they tolled out a portion and came up with a less expensive project. Again, you don't have to pay to drive on it.
rantanamo 2 months ago
To those complaining; Don't drive on it. There are several east/west thoroughfares parallel to it. You know the best solution to congestion is to simply take another route? Or stop living so freaking far out and sprawling the metroplex so damn far north. That creates this traffic.
rantanamo 2 months ago
@rantanamo I need to get another route because I don't like the current conditions? That is not the solution to the issue I was complaining about in the first place. For the record please tell me the several "thoroughfares" parallel to it? Forrest Ln or GWB? Come on now let's not be silly about it. One last thing I should move closer and stop sprawling out the metroplex? Are you saying compact the suburbs back into the dallas city limits to reduce traffic? Sounds great NYC doesn't have traffic.
DIRTYSANCHEZ423 2 months ago
Not to defend it, but I don't get the complaining about tolls. Take the free portion. Toll portion will be there for those who want. For those complaining about the High Five, did you live in Dallas before it was built? Had to be one of the worst bottlenecks in the history of bottlenecks. Its not perfect now, but 1000x better than it was.
rantanamo 2 months ago
@rantanamo Maybe you will get this. Toll rates are getting out of hand and if you look at the money the NTTA collects a day you would be amazed. I can understand using tolls to pay for a project and maintence but, if that was the case tolls should decrese over time especally when the original project is paid in full, wouldn't you agree? That is not the case with the NTTA, look at the toll rate increases on GWB and the NDT for example they have skyrocketed in price just in the last 10 years
DIRTYSANCHEZ423 2 months ago
Bottom line is, we as a country expect a free ride for some reason. Maintenance on roads is very very expensive. So expensive that the current tax structure does not provide enough money to keep them up. The further out we sprawl, the more miles of highway needed. So it gets really expensive. We'll either have to pay with voluntary toll projects like this OR by raising either gas taxes bring gas prices to European levels or raise some other tax.
rantanamo 2 months ago
@rantanamo Also.....I do remember 635/75 before the High five it was a mess, I also remember when 75 was two lanes each way in the 90's both needed improvments and both got done without the use of toll booths. speaking of booths if you have noticed there are no more toll operators (it does make things faster with zip cash/toll tags) but those were jobs that were eleminated so all the money needed to pay employees went where? had to go somewhere because they didn't lower the rates thats for sure.
DIRTYSANCHEZ423 2 months ago
@DIRTYSANCHEZ423 remember back then the country and state was running a surplus. Not to get political, but we aren't anymore. Not to mention DFW and Texas have boomed in population since then. Again, not to get political, but our current tax structure doesn't keep up with that.
rantanamo 2 months ago
But seeing how greedy you guys are with the cost of tolls on the N Dallas toll way, GWB toll way and Sam Rayburn toll way it is highly unlikely that the tolls would be set at a reasonable price of $1 each way
Now let’s take in your growth estimations as well. If the demand is saying 500,000 cars a day by 2020 it could be paid off in 14 years at $1 each way.
You guys can do your jobs provide the area with what it needs without strong-arming us.
DIRTYSANCHEZ423 2 months ago
I am aware of the fact that I will not have to take the toll portion if I choose not to. I wouldn’t mind paying tolls if the NTTA was not so greedy. If tolls are set for just a $1 each way at your est 180,000 per day users it would take 20 years to pay off the project not bad seeing that it took about that long when I30 was a toll road, right?
DIRTYSANCHEZ423 2 months ago
NORTH TEXAS residents are tired of every new road in this area being TOLLED! I think every person that commutes down 635 during its construction phase should get a pass on tolls equal to the amount of time it took you build it for the inconvenence
DIRTYSANCHEZ423 2 months ago
@DIRTYSANCHEZ423 - we understand that construction is not ideal, but the roadway is currently designed for 180,000 cars per day. By 2020, there will be a demand of more than 500,000 cars per day. If the region does nothing, how would LBJ look then?
lbjexpress 2 months ago
@lbjexpress I'd rather sit in traffic then pay an additional 10 bucks in tolls to get to work and back everyday.
blaggosphere 2 months ago
@lbjexpress What a snarky response. When someone is complaining about the roads being tolled, how exactly do you interpret that as them wanting nothing done? The problem isn't cars, the problem is sprawl. This project only encourages more. Why bring up those numbers anyways? The future road won't be able to handle the demand of 500,000 cars itself, according to your website, so the solution is to limit the supply by tolling the road? There are other solutions, they just aren't as profitable.
zrfdude 1 month ago 2
I drive from Lewisville to Garland every work day and I am extremly frustrated with the mess that has been made with 635. It wouldn't be so bad if knowing the HELL I have to go through to get to and from work now would pay off in the end but, it won't because you greedy people are going to toll it and get rich off of the people that use this road.
DIRTYSANCHEZ423 2 months ago
@DIRTYSANCHEZ423 - you won't be forced to pay a toll. Drivers will have a choice, use the managed lanes or stay on the traditional general purpose lanes. The total construction value of this project is over $2.7 billion. TxDOT simply doesn't have the money to build this project in the time frame we are doing it.
lbjexpress 2 months ago
The High Five hasn't been much of a deal for LBJ e/b heading s/b 75 and for n/b 75 heading w/b LBJ.
From this video, it appears both of these situations will only get worse.
Marchant2 3 months ago
time on completion 3012
ivelocityi 3 months ago
Just so you all know. Any political comments, derogatory statements and profanity will be deleted.
lbjexpress 5 months ago in playlist More videos from lbjexpress
The ramps for the High Five interchange will not hold up to this extra traffic if the design is not to include any extra lanes.
DFWmetro 6 months ago
@DFWmetro - Any questions about the High 5 should be addressed directly to TxDOT.
lbjexpress 2 months ago
I have been a courier for about 28 years in North Texas and have seen it all, but believe me this will not work; it will be twice more congested. The reason is that the designers never look good enough at the interchanges and it’s merging problems. Based on this concept it will work better if you have at least four lanes for merging onto the interchanges instead of one or two and do away with the wasted HOV lanes and allow more extra traffic to move freely.
DFWmetro 6 months ago
@DFWmetro - The managed lanes are designed to move traffic through the project faster. Drivers will have a choice to use them or stay with the four lanes as they are now.
lbjexpress 2 months ago
I am from KC but I have been to Dallas and driven the LBJ many times...HOW IN THE HECK ARE THEY GOING TO DO THIS??? WOW!!!!
jll0925 7 months ago
@jll0925 - we will do it by using about 40 years or professional experience from projects world-wide.
lbjexpress 2 months ago
nice good work guys
LTF85199 9 months ago
635 and 75 , 20 and 820 give me the creeps! I'd rather creep n crawl...good luck to the developers and users !
nicosituma 10 months ago
@nicosituma I wonder what would happen to the people who takes the underground part when it snow or ice. I think they would get stuck with no way out.
vietdude1979 10 months ago
@vietdude1979 - Part of this contract's 52 year life cycle is to clear snow and ice on the managed lanes, main lanes and the frontage roads. In the last snow and ice storm, we performed above TxDOT expectations.
lbjexpress 10 months ago
STEPHEN CARL MURPHY
stephencarlmurphy1 10 months ago
Couple of questions: Are you keeping the current Ratcliff Walkway or putting up a new one? And, will the managed lanes be dug out from underneath Webb Chapel, or will Webb Chapel be raised?
purplebead 1 year ago
@purplebead - The managed lanes will indeed be below Webb Chapel and the Ratcliff Walkway will be rebuilding starting in May of 2011.
lbjexpress 10 months ago
@purplebead - Joe Ratcliff will be completed by January 2012.
lbjexpress 5 months ago in playlist More videos from lbjexpress
Is a bigger highway the answer? Does more capacity reduce congestion or just encourage more people to drive? Dallas "improved" the high-five interchange a few years ago, yet traffic didn't improve. Instead of adding more concrete, what if Dallas invested in improving the quality of life in the city to reduce the need for commuting? Portland, OR is an example of this alternate thinking.
- A concerned North Dallas resident
MSE1957 1 year ago
@MSE1957 - According to the Regional Transportation Council’s 2030 Mobility Plan, the eventual demand for this portion of LBJ is 500,000 vehicles per day by 2020.
lbjexpress 1 year ago
Also, seeing the eastbound and westbound managed lanes separated by only poles and cables doesn't look like a good idea. Up for a high speed head-on crash with a drunk or distracted driver, anyone? My dear old dad, a career design engineer for the good old Texas Highway Dept, would be rolling over in his grave if he saw this.
chaswill709 1 year ago
@chaswill709 - this video is only a conceptual view. There will be reinforced dividers between the EB and WB managed lanes.
lbjexpress 1 year ago
@lbjexpress I'm being curious here on how are they going to do this? Are they going to be digging under the current highways? And finish in 5 years? I doubt it.
vietdude1979 10 months ago
@vietdude1979 - our contract stipulates that we have heavy fines that go to the taxpayers if we do not finish this within 5 years. We are committed to performing above expectations.
lbjexpress 10 months ago
@vietdude1979 I think they are going to just dig under, yes, since LBJ is mainly flat. But they are not doing all of LBJ, just a portion...This is needed tho... There is constant bumper to bumper traffic on all the highways in Dallas...
TodayHi1953 7 months ago
Cute, but it looks like the elevated parts of the main lanes will be unusable when there's ice in the winter. Are there going to be heating coils installed in the pavement so we don't have massive pileups? (That's a joke, son.)
chaswill709 1 year ago