A multi-year highway overhaul is about to tighten the screws on traffic near downtown Fort Worth, as a roughly $142 million rebuild of Interstate 35W frontage roads and ramps kicks off with one major casualty: the Sylvania Avenue bridge.
The project will reconstruct frontage roads along I-35W, rework ramps that connect to State Highway 121 (Airport Freeway), and bring extended closures in and around the Sylvania underpass. Officials say construction will be carefully staged to limit the pain, but drivers should brace for detours, alternating lane shifts and plenty of construction traffic for the duration.
What Crews Will Rebuild
Plans call for a full rebuild of the northbound frontage road along I-35W, demolition and replacement of the Sylvania Avenue bridge over SH 121, and a reconfiguration of entrance and exit ramps and frontage roads between Sylvania and Riverside Drive.
Design documents and reporting also outline utility relocations and a new continuous eastbound frontage road, including a separate bridge over the West Fork of the Trinity River. Those details were reported by the Fort Worth Report.
Funding And Approval
Last Thursday, the Regional Transportation Council recommended using $45 million in Regional Toll Revenue to help pay for the project. Staff also noted that TxDOT has identified a $97 million credit from the North Tarrant Express to cover the balance, bringing the total estimated price tag to about $142 million…