STRATEGIC PRIORITY: Sustainable
AGENDA DATE: June 25, 2025
COUNCIL DISTRICT(S): 6
DEPARTMENT: Department of Transportation and Public Works
EXECUTIVE: Dev Rastogi
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SUBJECT
Title
A public hearing to receive comments to amend Ordinance No. 20860, “Thoroughfare Plan - City of Dallas, Texas” to remove (1) Forest Lane between Reeder Road and Harry Hines Boulevard; and (2) Forest Lane between Harry Hines Boulevard and Josey Lane; and, at the close of the public hearing, authorize an ordinance implementing the change - Financing: No cost consideration to the City
Body
BACKGROUND
The City of Dallas Department of Transportation and Public Works has requested amendments to the City of Dallas Thoroughfare Plan to remove (1) Forest Lane between Reeder Road and Harry Hines Boulevard; and (2) Forest Lane between Harry Hines Boulevard and Josey Lane. The section of Forest Lane between Reeder Road and Harry Hines Boulevard is on the Thoroughfare Plan as a community collector with the designation of a four-lane undivided roadway in 60 feet of right-of-way and 44 feet of pavement (S-4-U). The section of Forest Lane between Harry Hines Boulevard and Josey Lane is on the Thoroughfare Plan as a principal arterial with the designation of a four-lane undivided roadway in 60 feet of right-of-way and 44 feet of pavement (S-4-U). The proposal is to remove these segments of Forest Lane from the Thoroughfare Plan.
In 2015, the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) completed a project on the Interstate Highway (IH) 635 corridor between IH-35E and US 75 known as the “LBJ Express/IH-635 Managed Lanes” project. This project impacted the operations of Forest Lane between Harry Hines Boulevard and Josey Lane. For multiple segments of this roadway, Forest Lane now operates as a one-way roadway instead of a two-way roadway. It also functions similarly to a frontage road as a result of the project improvements.
Furthermore, TxDOT is currently planning a project aimed to improve the IH-635/IH-35E interchange. Based on the current draft of TxDOT’s project, all of Forest Lane between Reeder Road and Josey Lane will function as a one-way continuous frontage road.
Due to the way in which IH-635 was constructed, as well as anticipated future improvements to the IH-635/IH-35E interchange, Forest Lane’s current Thoroughfare Plan designation between Reeder Road and Josey Lane is not feasible to implement now or in the future. Considering this reason and that some segments of Forest Lane between Reeder Road and Josey Lane are within TxDOT’s right-of-way, staff recommends this segment of Forest Lane be removed from the Thoroughfare Plan. Removing the roadway from the Thoroughfare Plan will not result in the removal of the roadway from the local roadway network or abandon the existing public right-of-way. It is also consistent with the treatment of other frontage roads in the City of Dallas.
PRIOR ACTION/REVIEW (COUNCIL, BOARDS, COMMISSIONS)
On November 7, 2024, the City Plan Commission Thoroughfare Committee acted on this item and followed staff’s recommendation to approve the application.
On May 22, 2025, the City Plan Commission acted on this item and followed the City Plan Commission Thoroughfare Committee’s recommendation to approve the application.
FISCAL INFORMATION
No cost consideration to the City.
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