Big Traffic Switch In North Fort Worth This Weekend
Follow CBSDFW.COM: Facebook | Twitter
FORT WORTH (CBS11) - Drivers should brace for a huge traffic change in North Fort Worth Sunday morning.
Construction workers will shut down the left exit from I-820 west bound to I-35W south heading to downtown. The new exit will be on the right side. This prevents traffic from exiting and entering highways in the fast lane.
At first blush, drivers are not convinced the big switch is will right traffic problems left by old highway design.
"I think its going to cause more accidents if all the sudden they're used to exiting one direction and all the sudden its changed up on them," Fort Worth driver Gary Wallert said.
"I think its going to be really bad," said Fort Worth driver Jesse Ramos Muller. "It's going to make a lot more confusion about it."
Traffic planners say they are working to change habits while preventing confusion and potentially wrecks, too.
"I think people like the way the drive now," said Tommy Williamson of North Tarrant Infrastructure, part of the team of companies working on the North Tarrant Express Project. "They're comfortable and they're used to it. We are going to change things up a little bit."
Traffic planners are convinced drivers will grow to like the new exit which will eventually lift traffic off of 820 and split it onto both north and south bound sides of I-35W.
"I think eventually people will get used to this right hand exit, it'll be safer for everyone to get to where they want to go," Williamson said.
Planners say the biggest lesson they learned from similar switches is making sure drivers are constantly reminded, the rules of the road have changed.
"We understand drivers are creatures of habit," Williamson said. "That's why we'll do everything we can regarding advanced signage as far back as the North Richland Hills, Haltom City area trying to get everybody to the right place."
But Williamson said even with the warnings some drivers will still be oblivious to the changes and possible confused on the road. He warns drivers to slow down near the exit and stay alert to other drivers.
(©2016 CBS Local Media, a division of CBS Radio Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
