What You Need to Know about

the Southern Gateway

The Southern Gateway starts at Colorado & I-35E and ends in Lancaster, It
also incorporates US-67 starting at Kiest Boulevard and extending south
through Duncanville into Cedar Hill. These roads are due for complete
reconstruction because they are past their life expectancy,
Since the majority of this project carries traffic through the heart of Oak Cliff, we
are the most impacted and stand to be the most helped or harmed.
The TxDOTs reconstruction plans have been in the works since 2001 and
TxDOT is saying they are almost ready to start awarding contracts. YET, the
public is just now becoming aware and informed enough to register their own
opinions and recommendations.
Last Thursday at the Beckley Saner Rec Center, TxDOT held a public meeting
to display schematics of how they are proposing to rebuild these roads. These
schematics contain changes that will not only have no positive impact on Oak
Cliff, they also are the insult to the injury committed 60 years ago by slashing I35E through central Oak Cliff neighborhoods.
Rather than just saying we oppose TxDOTs plan, we are proposing solutions
that can be game changers for Oak Cliffs economic and environmental
development. They are as follows:
1. Build I-35E below grade like North Central Expressway
between Colorado Blvd.and the split with US-67 in order
to mitigate air and noise pollution.
2. Cantilever over depressed I-35 to reduce necessary
right of way and protect neighborhoods and businesses.
3. Pave with rubberized asphalt to further mitigate noise
pollution
4. Put the OAK back in Oak Cliff with massive tree
plantings on right-of-way to further mitigate air pollution.
5. Deck over I-35E like Woodall Rodgers to connect the Zoo
with the core of Oak Cliff.
6. Install multiple bicycle/foot bridges to reconnect
neighborhoods separated when the interstate was built in
1960.
TxDOTs Project Manager John Nguyen is taking public comments for one
more week until July 20th. His e-address is John.Nguyen@txdot.gov Your
involvement and participation is critical as he needs tangible evidence of
support for designing and developing the above-mentioned proposals.