Construction is about to begin on a massive expansion of two North Texas highways, including one of the most traffic-choked roadways in the state.
The $1.6 billion Southeast Connector — which aims to ease congestion and improve transportation in Tarrant County — is one of the state’s largest-ever investments in transportation infrastructure.
Roughly 11 miles of highway through Fort Worth, Arlington, Forest Hill and Kennedale will be widened.
A stretch of Interstate 20, from I-820 to U.S. 287, will expand from eight to 10 lanes. And Interstate 820, a loop around Fort Worth, will double in capacity, from four to eight lanes. That will extend from I-20 to Ramey Avenue in Fort Worth.
Construction is expected to begin in the spring and finish in 2027.
A study by the Texas A&M Transportation Institute recently found this part of I-20 ranked No. 79 in Texas for traffic congestion, costing drivers more than $31 million in losses in work time and wasted fuel in 2021.
Traffic is only expected to worsen.
More than 200,000 vehicles drive along these corridors each day, said David Salazar, an engineer for the Texas Department of Transportation. By 2045, that number is expected to reach 370,000 vehicles.
Built around 1960, the infrastructure is “outdated and doesn’t meet the current demand,” he added. Tarrant County’s population has nearly quadrupled since then, from 538,000 to more than 2.1 million residents.
As part of the project, the I-20, I-820 and U.S. 287 interchanges will be rebuilt, left exits and entrance ramps will be eliminated, and turnarounds will be added at all cross streets. These improvements will facilitate trade, increase safety and improve efficiency for North Texas, Salazar said.
Michael Morris, director of transportation for the North Central Texas Council of Governments, said he envisions the project as a kickstarter to economic development, particularly around Lake Arlington.
“My hope,” he said, “is we come back here 20 years from now and this side of the region looks completely different than it does today.”
