The final product of FM 407 under I-35W is still years away from being complete, but Denton County’s attempt at quelling the current traffic problem is nearly done.
According to Northlake Mayor Montini, the striping on FM 407 under the bridge was completed Monday, allowing two lanes of traffic to proceed eastbound and, briefly, westbound.
“I am happy to announce that 407 under 35W is nearly complete,” said Montini in a post to social media. “Finally, when two many people are stacked in the left turn lanes, traffic can still proceed under 35W.”
Montini said he went out to the intersection at 4:25 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. Monday and observed no backups in any direction. Not even at Harvest Way.
“I have not observed these conditions at this time of day in over five years,” he said.
The $2 million project was funded by Denton County, contracted in February and started in April.
Argyle PD believed construction would take about four months. With the final touches being put on at the end of July, the timeline is just about on target – something that felt impossible to southern Denton County residents with all the delayed road projects around town.
“Thank you to our Denton County commissioner Dianne Edmondson, Judge Andy Eads and our TxDOT consultants for all their hard work with TxDOT,” said Montini. “It has been a hard fought battle for progress but it is great to see relief.”
The $2 million project was Denton County’s “Micro Breakout,” which was a minor project that was intended to provide some relief to commuters while they wait for the larger TxDOT project: expanding 11.5 miles of FM 407 to six lanes from the west side of Justin to the east side of Argyle.
In the meantime, another breakout project is expected to start, which would expand FM 407 to six lanes from Gibbs Road in Northlake to Gateway Drive in Argyle.
According to Montini, the breakout project is expected to start in spring or summer of 2027, but it will be on TxDOT’s schedule, which isn’t the most punctual.
The Northlake mayor said the town is still working with TxDOT and its partners on getting the I-35W access roads to come all the way through, which will allow for full interchange reconstructions to start.
It will give up to 10 lanes under the bridges in a “permanent” configuration, similar to other projects at full build-out around the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
