TxDOT's cost to tear down I-345 grows to $1.6B and some Dallas City Council members want more options on design

Dallas City Council approved in May to accept TxDOT's recommendation to tear down I-345 and rebuild it below grade with city streets running over it.

Some people in the area like the idea if it improves traffic.

“The project sounds valid,” downtown resident Chester Anderson said. “It would help some of the traffic flow especially if you are going to some of the side streets.”

TxDOT said the project is needed because of the age of the interstate. But they also say it will improve connectivity, pedestrian mobility, and overall safety.

“The current freeway was built in the ’70s,” TxDOT District Engineer Ceason Clemens said in the briefing to the city council. “It’s not up to current design standards. We fully anticipate reconstructing the freeway will improve the crashes we are seeing out there today.”

But the latest briefing update to the city council raises some questions.

Councilmember Chad West questioned why other independent studies weren't done, besides TxDOT's, to explore other options for improving the interstate.

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“I just feel like the city is giving up on this and I had hoped when we got to this point today that we had at least looked at some other studies,” Dallas City Council member Chad West said during the briefing.

Another issue is the estimated cost rising from $1B to $1.6B.

TxDOT did not give reasons for the increase. Despite the reasons, people question the price tag.

“The cost you know where is that money coming from,” Anderson questioned. “Is it going to increase our taxes? So just some of those things are concerning the cost of it.”

“The one billion is already a lot for it to jump up,” Curtis Sung who used to live downtown said. “What’s to stop it again before they like you said shovels hit the dirt?”

TxDOT will give the city council another update and briefing in six months. TxDOT will be holding public forums on March 19 and 21. For more information click here.