A project to connect Highland Village Road directly to the northbound I-35E frontage road has been approved, according to officials.
During this week’s Highland Village City Council meeting, the Denton County Transportation Authority informed the City Council that the Texas Department of Transportation has approved construction of northbound access to I-35E from Highland Village Road, according to a news release from the city of Highland Village.
Currently, Highland Village Road ends at the southbound I-35E frontage road, and to access the northbound on-ramp, drivers must head south on the frontage road and go through traffic lights to turn left onto Garden Ridge Boulevard and again onto the northbound frontage road.
The city of Highland Village first requested northbound access 20 years ago, when discussions began on the expansion of I-35E, according to the city. The northbound access has been included in the Denton County portion of Phase 2 of the 35Express project, which has not been funded yet. The ultimate build-out shows Highland Village Road to be constructed as an underpass of I-35E at a signalized intersection.
After working with the North Texas Council of Governments and the Regional Transportation Commission, Surface Transportation Block Grant funds were approved along with Federal Highway Administration approval of the project in the Transportation Improvement Program.
TxDOT has agreed to fund the design in fiscal year 2021, and the transportation commission has committed to construction funding in fiscal year 2022.
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