Major Investment Study SH 183 Preliminary Engineering  and Environmental Assessment

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SH 183/WEST FORK CORRIDOR MAJOR INVESTMENT STUDY

RECOMMENDED PLAN OF ACTION

Subject to appropriate environmental and engineering processing and clearances, the SH 183/ West Fork Corridor MIS recommended seven (7) elements for improvement in the corridor:

1. Enhanced work trip reduction measures.
2. Bicycle and pedestrian facilities.
3. Enhanced transportation facility management.
4. Addition of a second track for the Trinity Railway Express.
5. Improvements to major east-west arterials, including Irving Blvd., Rock Island Road, Trinity Blvd., and Hunter Ferrell Road, as well as over 100 signalization and intersection improvements.
6. Reconstruction of SH 183 with widening from 6 to 8 general purpose main lanes, and a managed high occupancy vehicle (HOV) system on SH 183 from SH 360 to a connection with the proposed I-35E HOV system.
7. A new reliever roadway constructed as a strategic regional arterial west of Loop 12, and a toll way east of Loop 12, with provisions for an extension west to Fort Worth.

Existing SH 183 is a 6-lane divided freeway with a narrow right-of-way, especially between Beltline Road and Carl Road. For this work item, SH 183 is proposed to be widened to 8 general use main lanes (4 in each direction) with three reversible managed High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lanes.

Highly directional traffic using SH 183 has a demand for seven lanes in the peak direction (eastbound in the morning and westbound in the evening), and four lanes in the off-peak direction. Reversible lanes can provide capacity most efficiently, using less right-of-way and costing less to construct than a permanent lane in each direction. Travel modeling by the NCTCOG shows a projected need for the equivalent of 1.5 lanes to serve HOV traffic. A three lane managed HOV allows for extra HOV capacity if demand exceeds expectations. Any remaining capacity would be filled with Express Single Occupant Vehicles (SOV) given this privilege by paying a toll.  Managed HOV lanes use congestion pricing (tolls rates that vary by time of day and level of congestion) to regulate the number of SOV’s sharing the HOV lanes. Toll revenue is assumed to off-set operating costs only.

This plan uses 3 lanes of managed HOV from Beltline Rd. to I-35E, and 2 lanes of HOV from SH 360 to Beltline Road. Only 2 lanes of HOV can fit through the major interchanges with SH 161, SH 360 and International Parkway. The total estimated cost of the SH 183 improvements is $650 million.

This price is based on an at-grade section generally following the existing profile, but it does not include any extra provisions for depressing the main lanes. Regardless of any widening, the total reconstruction of the freeway, including frontage roads, is necessary because of its old age and the need to improve its functionality.

Efforts will be made during the environmental assessment (part of the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA) process) to refine and reduce the displacements and right-of-way needs. The narrow right-of-way requires that any widening which does not use multiple-level, decked structures acquire adjacent property. A number of displacements will be necessary, although the specific Right-of-Way (ROW) needs will not be determined until the Environmental Assessment is performed as part of the NEPA process.

The following are issues that were recommended to be investigated and resolved prior to the approval of the environmental assessment and schematic design of SH 183:

• SH 183 Depressed Main Lanes - At the request of the City of Irving, the study team investigated depressing the main lanes of SH 183 in the area from west of Story Road to east of O’Connor Blvd. A shortened version that only depressed the main lanes under O’Connor and MacArthur Blvd. was also investigated due to the drainage impacts from Delaware Creek crossing east of Story Road. Ramp locations and other factors limit any right-of-way savings from potentially cantilevering the frontage roads. The costs have been estimated at over $80 million for the shorter length, and over $150 million for the length from Story to O’Connor. This option is being considered to reduce visual intrusion and improve community cohesion.

• Managed HOV Operation - Managed HOV lanes have yet to be used in Dallas, and are still a very new, developing technology. Only a few managed HOV lane systems have been implemented in the United States. HOV only lanes have been very successful in Dallas, and managed HOV lanes are anticipated to have the same success. The regional transportation agencies have yet to determine who will operate managed HOV lanes. It is expected that both the technology and the operation will be resolved by the time this proposed system is ready for implementation.

• SH 183 Ramp Locations - Three separate ramping schemes were developed for SH 183: an x-ramp system, a diamond ramp system, and a combination of the two. These ramp alternatives have been reviewed by local city staff, this study’s community groups and the general public. With the exception of a few requests for single, isolated ramp location preferences, no overall system of ramping has emerged as the locally preferred option. Specific ramp locations will be developed during the environmental assessment and schematic design effort that follows the MIS.
  
• SH 183 Alignment at Jaycee Park - The SH 183 right-of-way is most narrow in the area between Story Road and MacArthur Blvd., especially on the south side between William Brewster Road and Story Road. Improvements that maintain the existing SH 183 main lane centerline could potentially impact many residences, businesses and Jaycee Park itself. The neighborhood residents have asked that an alternative alignment be evaluated that does not require additional right-of-way from the south side. Specific alternative alignments, and refinement of the right-of-way needs and necessary displacements will be developed during the environmental assessment and schematic design effort that follows the MIS.

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