Major Investment Study SH 183 Preliminary Engineering  and Environmental Assessment

Project Description | Project Summary | Study Area Map | Recommended Plan of Action | Project Coordination Work Group Meetings | Public Meetings and Slide Presentation | Contact List | Project Schedules | Approved 2004 schematic | Project Bulletin | SH 183 Reevaluation Schematic and Environmental Assessment | Project Tracker

PROJECT DESCRIPTION

The Texas Department of Transportation is performing a preliminary engineering/environmental assessment (PE/EA) on improvements to SH 183 (the "Airport Freeway"). The general study area is indicated on the project map and basically covers east-west transportation needs along existing SH 183 from SH 360 to I-35E. Generally, the study area includes west Dallas, central Irving, northeast Fort Worth, and the southern area of DFW International Airport. Several alternatives are being studied in order to develop a schematic for improvement along SH 183. This Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) PE/EA is an extension of the SH 183 / West Fork Major Investment Study completed in 2000. Development and analysis of the schematic for the SH 183 PE/EA is expected to take 24 months, and proposes three sets of public meetings and open houses about four to five months apart.

STUDY AREA MAP

THE STUDY CORRIDOR

The SH 183 PE/EA covers existing SH 183 (Airport Freeway) through Dallas and Irving from the interchange of I-35E and SH 183 westward to SH 360 and is about 10 miles long.

PURPOSE AND NEED

The present SH 183 facility included in this study was constructed in 1973 and does not adequately handle the current traffic nor will it acceptably serve future demand.

The long-range transportation plans for the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex show a trend of increased travel in the SH 183 corridor as a result of urban growth throughout the Mid-cities. One quarter of all travel throughout the Metroplex is generated in this region. Current traffic volumes on SH 183 averages between 120,000 to 168,000 vehicles per day and is 20% to 50% over capacity daily. The trend toward urban growth in this area along with the current heavy travel demand necessitates improvements to existing facilities.

CURRENT DEVELOPMENTS

On February 10, 2004, the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) issued Finding of No Significant Impact (FONSI) for the SH 183 project.

TxDOT-Dallas District has revised the approved 2004 schematic by changing SH 183 Managed Lanes from 2-3 lanes reversible to 2-3 lanes concurrent (2-3 lanes in each direction). In August 2006 the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) approved the design schematic for the proposed concurrent flow HOV/Managed Lane. On January 13, 2012 Dallas District received FHWA's Satisfactory for Further Processing (SFP) on the environmental assessment reevaluation. A Public Hearing is scheduled for February 21, 2012 and we are anticipating receiving the FHWA's approval on EA reevaluation by March 2012.

The NOTICE OF PUBLIC HEARING can be found on Public Meeting section of this website.

SH 183 Reevaluation Schematic and Environmental Assessment documents are included in this website for public inspection.

RELATED Major Investments Studies

Two other studies are on going in the western area of Dallas County. One study examines public transportation rail possibilities to be conducted by DART www.DART.org and one examines needed improvements for the Loop 12/I-35E corridor in western Dallas County being conducted by TxDOT. Each of these studies overlapped to some extent the SH 183/West Fork MIS.