These two highways tore Dallas neighborhoods apart. Can the damage be fixed?

The Texas Department of Transportation is hoping to rehabilitate four neighborhoods of Dallas over the next two decades with massive overhauls of Interstates 30 and 345.

The two projects – which are estimated to cost well over a billion US dollars – are still in their infancy. Environmental studies and federal permits are years away before the ministry can lay a square meter of concrete. And little money is set aside for this work.

But the department will hold a series of meetings this month to solicit feedback from the community to reveal their sketches.

Work to replace the crumbling highways that both defined and connected the city’s northern and southern quarters and framed the city center has long been controversial. The work is also getting a new light as highways completed in the 1950s and 1960s reach the end of their lifespan and cities across the country re-examine how highways not only move people but separate them.

Some major cities like Detroit have pledged to remove their sprawling interstates for neighborhoods and boulevards. Several, including Boston, Seattle and Atlanta, are either investigating the problem or have proposed changes, according to a recent analysis by the New York Times.

In Dallas, Interstate 30 has long served as the dividing line between the north and south sides of the city. The residents of the northern neighborhoods tend to be white and more affluent than their black and Hispanic neighbors south of the freeway.

The area under consideration for reconstruction and expansion extends 4.4 miles east from downtown to Ferguson Road, touching the neighborhoods of South Dallas, Fair Park and Deep Ellum. If the project proceeds as planned, TxDOT hopes that all three parts of the city will be more accessible for each other.

Meanwhile, Interstate 345 – one of the shortest highways in the country at just 2.4 miles – allows more than 180,000 cars to move south to north every day. And yet the elevated freeway on the east side of the city center acts as a wall between the central business district and the Deep Ellum district.

An 8,500-square-foot mural by artist Tristan Eaton is painted on The Stack building on Commerce Street in the Deep Ellum neighborhood of Dallas. The proposed freeway change could better connect Deep Ellum with South Dallas and the central business district. (Tom Fox / Dallas Morning News)(Tom Fox / Employee Photographer)

Dallas County Commissioner Theresa Daniel, who represents east Dallas County and whose district would be affected by both projects, said she was excited for the opportunity to reconnect and better understand the neighborhoods along I-30, what the possible removal of I-345 would mean to residents.

“The way we use our systems and the interface between government and the private sector have fostered dysfunctional relationships for many, many years,” she said. “It’s exciting that we can actually – if we wanted to and have the political will to do so – make some changes.”

The redesign and rebuilding of both highways arose from the work of TxDOT that was completed in 2016, known as CityMAP.

The 341-page CityMAP document demands that all new highways take into account the mobility of people – not cars – in order to reconnect neighborhoods, sustainability and economic development.

The proposed changes to the Eastern Corridor of I-30 include upgrading the motorway to 10 multi-purpose lanes and two reversible serviced lanes. The lanes would also be pushed, much like the North Central Expressway. Entrances and exits would be rebuilt.

The city would have options to add deck parks like Klyde Warren Park and the Southern Gateway. The city would also have the option of adding bike lanes and other pedestrian bridges to connect the neighborhoods.

As part of the changes, only a handful of commercial and government buildings and homes are expected to be razed, ministry officials said.

The concept for I-345 is less defined. Rather, the department presents several scenarios ranging from the reconstruction of the elevated motorway in its current state to its complete removal and its replacement by boulevards.

In almost every scenario, the state would return land to the city of Dallas for development and there would be no buildings or houses in the way of construction. The main concern of elected officials and lawyers, however, is how residents of southern Dallas would commute north to do their jobs.

“Nobody was able to show me what you do with 180,000 cars,” said Daniel.

The land under I-345 was as much a point of contention as the highway. Several interests have come up with ideas on how to use the land between the business district and Deep Ellum.

Roddrick West, the son of Senator Royce West, has proposed the creation of five temporary soccer fields. Meanwhile, the Coalition for a New Dallas, a nonprofit that works to reunite communities by removing highways and other physical barriers, has a number of proposals for residential and commercial real estate expansion.

People make their way through the morning rush hour on Interstate 30 heading east into Dallas on Friday, June 4, 2021.  The Texas Department of Transportation will announce plans for two of the city's major interstates this month: 30 and 345. The goal for both projects is to replace the city's underserved communities with more vibrant parts.  The decade-long projects will bring South Dallas, Fair Park, Deep Ellum and Downtown together.  (Lynda M. González / The Dallas Morning News)People make their way through the morning rush hour on Interstate 30 heading east into Dallas on Friday, June 4, 2021. The Texas Department of Transportation will announce plans for two of the city’s major interstates this month: 30 and 345. The goal for both projects is to replace the city’s underserved communities with more vibrant parts. The decade-long projects will bring South Dallas, Fair Park, Deep Ellum and Downtown together. (Lynda M. González / The Dallas Morning News)(Lynda M. González / photographer)

Ken Smith, president of the Revitalize South Dallas Coalition, said he believes TxDOT is making strides to correct decades of injustice that has contributed to slower economic prosperity in south Dallas.

But he worries that talking about the two projects and the other ongoing work on US Highway 175, which runs through south Dallas, is risky.

“We need to be educated about what the projects are, how they relate to all the other projects happening at the same time in the South Dallas Fair Park area, and trust that they will be included because there is still suspicion,” he said .

Smith, who has been closely monitoring TxDOT’s work for SM Wright Freeway in South Dallas, said it will be critical for the city and freeway division to consider existing and upcoming plans around I-30 and I-345 .

“We cannot separate the Fair Park master plan from the motorway plans,” he said. “It is up to each unit and the community to keep all parties informed of developments under the Development umbrella so that we can make the smartest decision when we reach a decision point.”

In addition, Smith said removing or improving physical barriers that have favored segregation is only one step in solving the city’s larger inequality problems.

“Interstate 30: I think it’s more psychological than geographic,” he said. “And it’s Dallas’ challenge to overcome the psychological barrier that is in everyone’s mindset.”

CORRECTION: July 7th: This article has been updated to indicate that concrete, not cement, is poured to build highways. The article has also been updated to better reflect the composition of the coalition for a new Dallas.

Public meetings

The Texas Department of Transportation will hold meetings to discuss changes to Interstates 30 and 345.

On June 8th, the department will propose changes to Interstate 30 at Fair Park Coliseum, 1438 Coliseum Drive. The meetings take place at 4:00 p.m., 5:00 p.m., 6:00 p.m. and 7:00 p.m. Participation in face-to-face meetings is only possible by appointment. To register, go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/I30EC or call 833-933-0443.

To virtually join the meeting, go to http://www.keepitmovingdallas.com/I30EC.

On June 22nd, the department will host two events to discuss changes to Interstate 345. Appointments are required for personal participation. The meetings are on:

  • The shed at the Dallas Farmers Market, 1010 S. Pearl Expressway. From 3 p.m. there will be four one-hour meetings
  • St. Philip’s School and Community Center, 1600 Pennsylvania Ave. Four one-hour meetings will take place from 4:00 p.m.

To register for either event, go to https://www.signupgenius.com/go/345PM2 or call 833-933-0432. You can also participate virtually here.

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