Speaking of the LBJ Express ...
Andy Rittler, spokesman for LBJ Infrastructure Group LLC, the developer of the LBJ
do-over that will involve sinking managed toll lanes beneath 635, sends word of a public meeting tomorrow at the Sheraton Dallas North during which reps will present "a proposed change for the intersection of IH 635 at the Dallas North Tollway." Say what now?
Rittler tells Unfair Park you can forget all about that video we likes to look at. Because, you see, LBJ Infrastructure Group's realized: By sinking lanes beneath the toll road, that would more or less involve "cutting the tollway in half." And that won't work. Not at all.
"That wouldn't be a real fun ordeal," he says. "There would be much love in Dallas for us over that one." Hence, the new proposal, as he explains: "a concept that would take these manages lanes around the tollway area and move them to the same elevation as the regular lanes, which is where they are now."
Says Rittler, the proposal's been submitted to the Federal Highway
Administration and the Texas Department of Transportation, which are
expected to sign off on it. Because, as he explains, not only will it
keep from messing with the tollway, but "it helps with drainage, which is
the difference between building a river and a road."
Also on tap tomorrow: a look at "any potential takings needed for the
redesign," Rittler says. "Right now
we aren't taking any land, but if we do have to, most likely the impact
will be on the Lincoln Center property, that median they have between
the frontage road and the parking lot."
Better still, a new video will
be debuted tomorrow; we'll post Wednesday.
And, hey, speaking of the Joe Ratliff Pedestrian Walkway, which is getting adiosed Sunday: Yesterday I ran into an old friend who has fond memories of that chain-link-covered sidewalk over LBJ ... and by fond memories, I mean foggy, hazy memories. Anyway. For those who've never been on it, LBJ Express sends this photo of the entrance to the thing. In case you're wanting to make one last trek from Dallas to Farmers Branch the fun way.
