TRAFFIC MANAGEMENT: North-central Texas weighing transportation options for Blacklands Corridor

The North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) has begun seeking public opinion on several plans to improve traffic flow between the Dallas-Fort Worth area to rural northeastern Texas. NCTCOG will continue weighing public and private financing options as discussions are ongoing.

The area in question is known as the Blacklands Corridor, covering portions of Dallas, Collin, Rockwall and Hunt counties. Serving as a link between the bustling urban areas in the southwest and the more rural counties of the northeast, NCTCOG expects the corridor to add just shy of 200,000 new residents by 2035. In anticipation of increased traffic as well, the agency has initiated a transportation feasibility study, looking at options for reducing congestion across the corridor.

Some of the proposals thus far include:

• Park-and-ride lots with an express bus service linking Greenville, Texas, to the Dallas-Fort Worth regional transportation system;
• Intelligent transportation system (ITS) improvements on major highways throughout the region, including synchronized traffic lights (including those already in place) and dynamic message signs;
• A commuter train system connected to Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) light rail; and
• Expansion of I-30.

No favorite has emerged as of yet among the various proposals and no information has been given on the cost of the various options.