Crews raced to meet a Monday deadline after shutting down I-30 for the weekend, marking an early milestone in a massive downtown Dallas rebuild.
DALLAS, Texas — Crews worked to finish the first phase of a massive construction effort as part of the I-30 Canyon Project, with a 5 a.m. Monday deadline looming after Interstate 30 was shut down for the weekend.
“My money is on these guys to get it done,” said Kyle Kurfees, a biker who travels through downtown regularly. “I know some folks who aren’t as confident.”
For downtown resident Kaylah Dewberry, the work unfolded right outside her window.
“That’s amazing. The manpower they put behind it, for sure,” she said.
The closures are part of a long-term plan to modernize and widen the roadway to prepare for a growing Dallas. Dewberry said she understands why the project is needed, even as it disrupts daily life.
“It’s needed, because, yes, the city is growing, but it is still an inconvenience at the same time, because you have to give up some of the things you’re used to,” she said.
That includes familiar bridges.
Cadiz and Cesar Chavez were among the first crossings affected. The Cesar Chavez bridge was taken down over the weekend, but transportation officials say the replacement will take much longer.
With I-30 closed, the primary detour sent drivers onto the Woodall Rodgers Freeway beneath Klyde Warren Park — a stretch already known for congestion.
“Going under Klyde Warren is, you know, nightmare daily,” Kurfees said. “There’s no good way to do that.”
TxDOT urged drivers to avoid downtown altogether during the weekend closures, but that isn’t an option for residents who live in the area.
“Pretty noisy at night,” Dewberry said. “But it’s an ongoing project that’s nice to see getting done.”
The weekend shutdown is not the last. More closures are expected as construction continues, with full completion of the project estimated around 2030.