Interstate 345
Interstate 345 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
.svg) | ||||
| Route information | ||||
| Maintained by TxDOT | ||||
| Length | 1.4 mi[1] (2.3 km) | |||
| Existed | August 23, 1973–present | |||
| NHS | Entire route | |||
| Major junctions | ||||
| South end |   I-30 / I-45 in Dallas | |||
| North end |   US 75 / Spur 366 in Dallas | |||
| Location | ||||
| Country | United States | |||
| State | Texas | |||
| Highway system | ||||
| ||||
.svg)
Interstate 345 (I-345 or IH-345) is the 1.4-mile freeway connecting Interstate 45 (which ends at the intersection with Interstate 30) with U.S. 75 (North Central Expressway) at the Woodall Rodgers Freeway (Spur 366) in Dallas. Few maps actually display the road as Interstate 345. Sign posts on the road only show US 75.
Route description
Interstate 345 serves as the connection between Interstate 45 and the North Central Expressway (US 75). It starts at the intersection of Interstate 45 and Interstate 30, passes by downtown Dallas and connects to US 75 at the Spur 366 junction. The entire stretch of I-345 is elevated allowing for better connections between the Central Business District and Deep Ellum.
Although I-345 uses its own mileposts, the exit numbering is not consistent either. The exit numbers on the northbound stretch count upwards from the Interstate 45 numbers (the exit for Spur 366 being labeled as Exit 286A), while on the southbound stretch the Spur 366 exit is numbered Exit 1A, followed by the exit for Ross Avenue numbered Exit 285.[2]
History
In 1964 I-345, extending I-45 north along the proposed Central Expressway bypass, was added as a proposed state highway.[1] I-345 was built and opened in the 1970s. At the north end, before it merged into the Central Expressway (which continued to carry US 75), I-345 straddled the bridges over Bryan Street and Ross Avenue, the latter the location of the opening ceremonies in 1949.[3] Because of their location, these two bridges were not replaced in the 1990s reconstruction of the North Central Expressway, and are the only surviving grade separations from the initial construction north from downtown.[4]
Decommissioning Proposal
There has recently been a growing level of local news coverage of a proposal to decommission I-345.[5][6][7][8][9][10] In February 2014, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) announced it plans to spend $100 million to repair I-345 instead of decommissioning the highway,[11] but Dallas mayor Mike Rawlings responded by saying this issue should be further considered before any repair.[12] After further investigation, Rawlings concluded that repairs should proceed in advance of a study and decision on the fate of the road. [13]
With its May 2014 issue, D Magazine became the first major local news publication to endorse the decommissioning proposal.[14]
Exit list
The entire route is in Dallas, Dallas County.
| mi | km | Exit | Destinations | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I-45 – Houston | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | ||||
| 284A | I-30 (East R. L. Thornton Freeway) | ||||
| 284B | Main Street west, Elm Street | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| 284C | Live Oak Street – Downtown Dallas | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| 285 | Bryan Street east | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| 285 | Ross Avenue | Southbound exit and northbound entrance | |||
| 286A |   Spur 366 (Woodall Rodgers Freeway) to I-35E – Denton | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | |||
| 1A | Spur 366 (Woodall Rodgers Freeway) to I-35E – Denton | Southbound exit | |||
 US 75 north (North Central Expressway) – McKinney | Northbound exit and southbound entrance | ||||
| 1.000 mi = 1.609 km; 1.000 km = 0.621 mi | |||||
References
- ^ a b "Interstate Highway No. 345". Highway Designation File. Texas Department of Transportation. October 6, 2012.
- ^ "Interstate 345 Texas". AA Roads Interstate Guide. January 13, 2007.
- ^ Dallas Morning News, North Central Turns 35 Today, August 19, 1984
- ^ "Structure Type by Year Built". National Bridge Inventory. Federal Highway Administration. 2006.
- ^ Lindenberger, Michael (May 3, 2012). "A toll road foe's challenge to Mayor Rawlings: Build your road, but tear down I-345, too". The Dallas Morning News.
- ^ Nicholson, Eric (November 27, 2012). "TxDOT Wondering What to Do With Bridge Between I-30 and Woodall Rodgers. (Hint: They're Not Going to Tear It Down)". Dallas Observer. Dallas, TX: Voice Media Group.
- ^ Wilonsky, Robert (December 12, 2012). "At TxDOT hearing, leaving comments and making the case for tearing down highway separating Deep Ellum, downtown". The Dallas Morning News.
- ^ Kennedy, Patrick (January 21, 2013). "How Dallas is Throwing Away $4 Billion". D Magazine.
- ^ Nicholson, Eric (May 28, 2013). "The Push to Tear Down I-345 Gains Steam". Dallas Observer. Dallas, TX: Voice Media Group. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
- ^ Wilonsky, Robert (May 27, 2013). "Update: As debate revs up, a site launches to make the case for tearing down freeway separating downtown, Deep Ellum". Dallas Morning News. Dallas, TX. Retrieved May 28, 2013.
- ^ Wilonsky, Robert (Feb 10, 2014). "Memo: With Interstate 345 staying (until at least 2040), Dallas is ready to design downtown's Carpenter Park". Dallas Morning News. Dallas, TX. Retrieved Feb 21, 2014.
- ^ Wilonsky, Robert (Feb 12, 2014). "TxDOT has decided to keep the highway separating Deep Ellum and downtown, but Mayor Rawlings hasn't". Dallas Morning News. Dallas, TX. Retrieved Feb 21, 2014.
- ^ Jones, Rodger (April 2, 2014). "Complete statement from Mayor Rawlings on tearing down I-345". Dallas Morning News. Dallas, TX. Retrieved April 14,2014.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=(help) - ^ Allison, Wick (May 2014). "How to Build Another Uptown". D Magazine. Dallas, TX. Retrieved April 23,2014.
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External Links
- Texas Department of Transportation (Official website)
- A New Dallas (Group advocating removal of IH-345)