TARRANT COUNTY, Texas — If you normally take 820 or 183 in Tarrant County, you will notice some major changes to your commute starting Monday, Nov. 13.
According to a press release, drivers in Tarrant County can expect to see pre-construction activities underway on the North Tarrant Express Capacity Improvement Project (NTECIP) starting this week.
The Capacity Improvement Project will add a free general-purpose lane in each direction along the North Loop of I-820 and a tolled managed lane in each direction along Airport Freeway (SH 183).
The project will also adjust some of the ramps and connectors, as well as the pedestrian bridge in Hurst.
The closures are scheduled as follows:
Nov. 13-17 from 7:30 p.m. to 5:30 a.m. (nightly)
Nov. 17 at 7:30 p.m. to 10 a.m. Nov. 18
- All lanes of the eastbound I-820 general purpose lanes from Beach Street to Rufe Snow Drive will be closed.
- Traffic will be redirected to the eastbound I-820 TEXpress Lanes at no cost.
- The off-ramp from the eastbound I-820 general purpose lanes to Haltom Road will be closed.
- Traffic will be redirected to the next exit at Denton Highway 377.
- The on-ramp to the eastbound I-820 general purpose lanes at Haltom Road will be closed.
- Traffic will be redirected to the next entrance at Denton Highway 377.
- The on-ramp to the eastbound I-820 general purpose lanes at Denton Highway 377 will be closed.
- Traffic will be maintained using the eastbound TEXpress entrance at Denton Highway 377.
- The on-ramp to the eastbound I-820 general purpose lanes at Iron Horse Boulevard will be closed.
- Traffic will be maintained using the eastbound TEXpress entrance at Iron Horse Boulevard.
- The off-ramp from eastbound I-820 to Rufe Snow Drive will be closed.
- Traffic will be redirected to the exit at Texas Boulevard 26.
The NTECIP was part of the original public-private partnership with the state of Texas and TxDOT in 2009, to be delivered when the traffic count reached a certain level.
“That threshold has been met almost eight years ahead of projection,” explained NTE Mobility Partners CEO Jose Espinosa. “This is an exciting project that will continue to provide mobility innovation and congestion relief to one of the fastest-growing regions in country.”
The Capacity Improvement Project will cost around $414 million; toll revenues collected on the NTE TEXpress Lanes will fully fund the project. No TxDOT funds or public money will be used for the construction.
Early activities will include installing construction barriers and striping lanes; full construction will be underway in mid-2024. The project is scheduled to take 42 months, with completion anticipated in early 2027.
North Tarrant Infrastructure (NTE), a joint-venture between Ferrovial Construction and Webber, will serve as the lead design-build contractor on the project.
“We are looking forward to doing our part in improving mobility through this area. We also believe in supporting our community by providing jobs and opportunities, which is why we hire local and regional subcontractors, including minority-owned firms, who then live, work, and spend money in the area,” said Ignacio Milans, CEO of North Tarrant Infrastructure.
The NTE is a major east-west corridor that crosses Northeast Tarrant County and connects all cities between Fort Worth and Irving on the North Loop of I-820 and Airport Freeway (SH 183).
When it opened fully in 2014, the NTE project almost doubled capacity in the corridor and added continuous frontage roads and a new bridge across I-820 at Riverside Drive.
NTE Mobility Partners provides 24/7 operations and maintenance for the corridor (general purpose and managed lanes) including all ramps and bridges, and Roadside Assistance for customers.