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Phase 3 of State Highway 161 Open to Traffic Trips to Arlington’s entertainment and sports district will be a little smoother now that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has completed the latest phase on the State Highway (SH) 161 project. Phase 3 is the northern portion of the project and opened to traffic nearly eight months ahead of schedule on April 10. It extends south from Conflans Road to North Carrier Parkway and provides three all-electronic toll collection lanes in each direction.
Drivers will continue to see some construction workers over the next few months putting the final touches on this section of the project.
The NTTA will continue to collect tolls electronically on SH 161. Tolls on the main lanes will remain the same; however, the newly opened entrance and exit ramps will be tolled as follows:
| Ramp |
TollTag Rate |
ZipCash Rate |
| Shady Grove – NB Entrance/SB Exit |
$.38 |
$.58 |
| N. Lower Tarrant – NB Entrance/SB Exit |
$.39 |
$.59 |
| S. Lower Tarrant – NB Exit/SB Entrance |
$.22 |
$.42 |
SH 161 Phase 2 opened to traffic in August 2009 and included the northbound lanes, which provided two northbound and two southbound lanes for interim travel in advance of the completion of the full section.
TxDOT and the NTTA signed a project agreement allowing the NTTA to develop and construct the roadway’s fourth and final phase, the main lanes from I-30 to I-20.
The corridor project development is a natural extension of the President George Bush Turnpike and is an 11.5-mile link in a growing loop around Dallas originally initiated in 1969. The corridor is being developed in four phases:
• Phase I - The service road between I-30 and I-20, constructed by TxDOT, is substantially complete and open to traffic.
• Phase 2 - Constructed by TxDOT and consists of two main lanes in each direction between SH 183 and just north of I-30 on the northbound side of the road along with several entrances and exit ramps. Toll gantries were constructed by NTTA.
• Phase 3 - Constructed by TxDOT and consists of the southbound side of the road, which will provide for the ultimate configuration of three mainlanes for north and southbound travelers and the remaining service roads between SH 183 and I-30. Toll gantries were constructed by NTTA.
• Phase 4 - To be constructed by NTTA and consists of main lanes between I-30 and I-20. Included in Phase 4 are two major interchanges at I-30 and I-20, along with the construction of a railroad crossing at Main and Jefferson streets.
The NTTA Roadway Customer Service crew will continue to support the TxDOT maintenance crews, by patrolling the roadway to assist stranded motorists, remove debris and work incident scenes among other roadway support tasks.
The NTTA encourages commuters and businesses to sign up for a new report available via e-mail – the SH 161 Corridor Progress Report. In addition, once construction begins on Phase 4, motorists and residents will be able to sign up for traffic alerts and construction updates.
To sign up to receive the monthly electronic SH 161 Corridor Progress Report, go to www.ntta.org/AboutUs/Projects/projects.htm and add your e-mail address to the distribution list. The most current progress report is always available on www.ntta.org, or on NTTA's Facebook page.
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