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Jul 1, 2008 10:21 pm US/Central
Plan To Ease Traffic On Loop 820 Unveiled
NORTH RICHLAND HILLS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
It's been a headache for North Texas commuters for 20 years. The area around 820 and Highway 26 is known as the worst bottleneck in North Texas.
"It's horrible. It's a nightmare," said motorist Celyia Pitney. "It's dangerous and you take your life in your hands every time you get on it."
Now the Texas Department of Transportation has a plan to ease congestion on Interstate 820. But not everyone is happy about the proposal.
The plan would widen 820 between I-35W and the Northeast Interchange. The six-point-four mile stretch of freeway would go from four lanes to ten with express lanes in the center that drivers would pay to use. A new I-35W interchange would also be built.
"Each of you in spends 57 hours a year in traffic over and above your normal drive time," Tarrant County Commissioner Gary Fickes told people at the meeting.
A packed public hearing was held Tuesday night to discuss the plan.
While a majority of people applauded the plan, others were upset about the tolls. "Most of us cannot afford $40 a week to drive on our highways," State Rep. Candidate Chris Utchell said about the public-private partnership plan.
Tx-DOT is accepting comments on the plan until July 14. If approved, construction would begin next year at the earliest.
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