Driving I-30 back from Dallas the other day (actually in April...) I caught a few snaps of what TxDOT's Dallas office has done with I-30.
First I noticed that the signs were built with decorative columns. Note the large round decoration. I don't know what it is, but it's a nice touch.
Then there are the bridges. I know Becky Haskin caught a lot of grief over the east side I-30 bridges, but the real problem was how late the additions came along. I suspect the Dallas bridges were beautified from the git-go.
But this is what really struck me. The single-arch bridge in the background is the Hampton Street bridge over I-30. It's been there for years and is certainly one of my favorite bridges anywhere. Look how the designers of the new bridge echoed the one beyond. When you come around the curve it just falls into view. Awesome.
I apologize for the quality but I didn't clean my windshield prior to the trip. Still, not bad for snappin' while driving, eh?
Rebuilt I-30 in Dallas
Started by ghughes, May 29 2006 06:56 PM
9 replies to this topic
#1
Posted 29 May 2006 - 06:56 PM
#2
Posted 31 May 2006 - 12:31 AM
I really like what has been done in Dallas County. I'd rank I-30 3rd as far as aesthetics go.
1.)Central Expressway(very complete in all aspects of design)
2.)High Five(Also very complete and very colorful. Wish there was some greenery. Also wonder if LBJ will take on this aesthetic because its so extensive and nice)
3.) I-30 (I like the leaves and large circles on the retaining walls more than Central's plain design or the High Five's creeks. Just wish they went a step further on the landscaping. The depressed parts are pretty nice)
4.)PGBT (some really nice parts, especially the depressed parts. The snake is turning out really nice too. Just too many plain parts)
Good to know that LBJ and Project Pegasus will get their own aesthetic treatments.
1.)Central Expressway(very complete in all aspects of design)
2.)High Five(Also very complete and very colorful. Wish there was some greenery. Also wonder if LBJ will take on this aesthetic because its so extensive and nice)
3.) I-30 (I like the leaves and large circles on the retaining walls more than Central's plain design or the High Five's creeks. Just wish they went a step further on the landscaping. The depressed parts are pretty nice)
4.)PGBT (some really nice parts, especially the depressed parts. The snake is turning out really nice too. Just too many plain parts)
Good to know that LBJ and Project Pegasus will get their own aesthetic treatments.
#3
Posted 31 May 2006 - 07:18 AM
I believe the decoration is Tom Landry's trademark hat. I-30 is, of course, the Tom Landry Freeway.
#4
Posted 31 May 2006 - 10:18 AM
I just drove on I-30 monday afternoon just for the hell of it, past Lake Ray Hubbard and back. I noticed these too. It seems that some of the signposts are still missing thier signs though. It looked like columns along the side of the highway for no reason to an untrained eye I spose.
I dont travel that direction often, and I noticed the concrete "canyon" like the Tollway and 75 have, just past all the downtown interchanges/spagetti bowls. Is that new too?
Curiosity question:
Growing up in FL, on I-95 the HOV lanes are always a dedicated lane like on I-635(the north part at least, i dont know about the east part), but the HOV lane on I-30 east of Dallas looked almost like a zipper? Do they have a machine that opens it up during rush hour? On some of the bridges it didnt look like they have enough room to open it up for another lane? Sorry this is offtopic, but it just bugs me. I am always needing to know how things work
I dont travel that direction often, and I noticed the concrete "canyon" like the Tollway and 75 have, just past all the downtown interchanges/spagetti bowls. Is that new too?
Curiosity question:
Growing up in FL, on I-95 the HOV lanes are always a dedicated lane like on I-635(the north part at least, i dont know about the east part), but the HOV lane on I-30 east of Dallas looked almost like a zipper? Do they have a machine that opens it up during rush hour? On some of the bridges it didnt look like they have enough room to open it up for another lane? Sorry this is offtopic, but it just bugs me. I am always needing to know how things work
-Doug
#5
Posted 31 May 2006 - 07:24 PM
They do indeed have a zipper machine that moves the barricade from one side to another. Machine can't work when it's icy and also has been known to break, but mostly does a good job. Still it's amusing that when you add "moving parts" to a highway it reduces the reliability.
I think there is another example on the bridge from mainland San Diego to Coronado Island.
I think there is another example on the bridge from mainland San Diego to Coronado Island.
#6
Posted 31 May 2006 - 08:42 PM
The recent plans revealed for the "Eastern Corridor" will eliminate the zipper and put much of the inner-city part of I-30 in a trench. That also seems to be a nice trend if they aren't going to bury or get rid of some of the expressways.
#7
Posted 01 June 2006 - 10:31 AM
They do indeed have a zipper machine that moves the barricade from one side to another. Machine can't work when it's icy and also has been known to break, but mostly does a good job. Still it's amusing that when you add "moving parts" to a highway it reduces the reliability.
I think there is another example on the bridge from mainland San Diego to Coronado Island.
Cool. I did a quick google:
http://www.hawaii.go...licaffairs/zip/
I am curious as to how long the zipper machine takes to do its job though, i will dig some more.
Found it:
http://www.eng.hawai...costas_2000.pdf
5 mph for the one in Hawaii at least
-Doug
#8
Posted 01 June 2006 - 10:46 AM
Well, FW is getting a "pretty" expressway with the Southwest Parkway...but it doesn't seem to be very popular around here, mainly because people see it as wasteful. That makes me wonder, is FW ever going to get anything aesthetically pleasing if we have about an even number of people who find aesthetics wasteful and who find aesthetics desireable? Also, with 35 slated to get some kind of expansion soon, that could be another opportunity for FW to do some freeway beautification...and it wouldn't be a bad thing if we did something about the hideousness of Airport Freeway, considering it's what visitors probably see for the first time driving from the airport to FW.
#9
Posted 01 June 2006 - 11:06 AM
Most of the objections to SW Parkway have little to do with the aesthetic features of the project. If the powers that be insist on building it, I'd rather it be easy on the eyes.
#10
Posted 04 June 2006 - 09:55 PM
QUOTE
it wouldn't be a bad thing if we did something about the hideousness of Airport Freeway, considering it's what visitors probably see for the first time driving from the airport to FW.
So true, so true. I haven't been that way in a few weeks, but for over a year it's been all "tow up" with a crappy ride and look. I've often wondered what people coming here must think.
0 user(s) are reading this topic
0 members, 0 guests, 0 anonymous users