I hope you and your families made it through the recent winter weather safely and without damage to your homes. I know the conditions were frustrating, and many of you reached out with questions—particularly about road conditions and why nearby communities appeared to be better maintained.
Several factors contributed to what we experienced in Northlake.
First, our area received more ice than Denton, Flower Mound and the Alliance/Fort Worth region during this storm.
Second, Northlake does not currently own specialized snow or ice removal equipment beyond a sand spreader. In contrast, major corridors such as FM 1171, FM 2499 and other arterial roadways are heavily treated by TxDOT, which significantly improves driving conditions in those areas. Even so, many residents observed that portions of I-35W itself had only one clear lane for several days, underscoring how severe and persistent this event was across the region.
For those who grew up farther north, snowplows and salt trucks are a normal part of winter operations. In North Texas, however, winter storms of this magnitude are relatively rare, and maintaining a full fleet of winter-weather equipment requires significant storage and logistical planning. While snowplows themselves require relatively little maintenance, Northlake has not historically had the facilities needed to properly store this type of equipment when it is not in use.
That is now changing. Town staff and I have already begun discussions on improving our preparedness for future events. Our fleet now includes trucks capable of supporting plow attachments, and adding plows is being planned in the upcoming budget. The current budget also includes expanded Public Works storage, which will allow us to responsibly add and house plow equipment going forward. While plows are not effective on solid ice, they are extremely useful once ice begins to melt, as they can push slush aside and help roads dry before the next freeze.
Throughout this event, our Public Works team worked long hours in extremely difficult conditions to keep critical infrastructure operating. Their top priority was maintaining water service across town, monitoring system pressure, responding to issues as they arose and taking proactive steps to prevent freezes and breaks. Because of their efforts, we were able to keep water flowing and avoid outages, even as temperatures remained dangerously low.
I want to sincerely thank our Public Works staff for their dedication and professionalism during this event.
In other news, many of you have noticed light activity near the FM 407 and I-35W intersection, including utility markings. Denton County has awarded the construction contract and is currently in final negotiations with the contractor, with the goal of beginning work as soon as possible—typically within the next 45 days. While this timeline is slightly later than originally anticipated, the project continues to move forward in a positive and deliberate manner. Once underway, this work will add much-needed capacity beneath I-35W and represents a meaningful step toward improving traffic flow and long-term mobility in this critical corridor.
Thank you for your patience, your questions, and your continued engagement. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you would like additional information or a deeper discussion on any of these topics.
