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Frequently Asked Questions |
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Question: Why does Rockwall County have to take the lead on TxDOT projects? |
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Answer: TxDOT has a limited amount of funding that districts compete for throughout the state. If Rockwall County waits for roads improvements to occur based on TxDOT funding and scheduling, it could be 10 years or longer until the proposed improvements begin construction. By taking the lead on funding and project programming, Rockwall County is in the driver’s seat. The County can prioritize projects based on their needs and they can leverage the funding from the Bond Program to expedite the TxDOT and NCTCOG funds matching. |
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Question: When will construction start and finish? |
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Answer: The typical time frame for preliminary design, environmental clearance, final design, right-of-way acquisition and utility relocation is four to five years or more. However, Rockwall County is striving to reduce this duration to approximately two years by performing normally sequential tasks in parallel. This approach for fully funded projects may allow construction to begin in late 2007 or early in 2008. The typical duration for construction is 12 to 24 months depending on the project. |
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Question: Will locations of on- and off-ramps for IH 30 be changed due to these projects? |
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Answer: Yes, the locations for the on/off ramps along IH-30 in Rockwall County will be changed. The ultimate conditions will implement “X” ramps at each interchange. “X” ramps decrease congestion at intersections by limiting access directly at the interchange. Instead of the traditional “Diamond” interchange (existing condition), “X” ramps have entrance ramps prior to and exit ramps after the interchanges. Thus, decreasing the amount of traffic that will pass through the frontage road intersections. |
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Question: Will frontage roads on IH 30 become one-way? |
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Answer: The ultimate section planned for IH 30 consists of 2-lane one-way frontage roads. Subsequently, exiting 2-way frontage roads will eventually be converted to one-way. However, no specific time frames have been established. The construction of the proposed new location interchanges at SH 205 Bypass in Rockwall and at Hickory Hill in Royse City will help facilitate the future frontage road conversion. |
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Question: What is planned for the future on IH 30? |
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Answer: The ultimate section identified by TxDOT for the IH 30 corridor will be an 8 main lane section, consisting of 2 managed lanes and 2 non-managed lanes in each direction. Managed lanes is an all encompassing term for tolling, HOV (High Occupancy Vehicle), HOT (High Occupancy Toll), dedicated truck and/or other various value pricing related scenarios. While no means, method or timeframe has currently been identified for the construction of the ultimate IH 30 section, planning and design of the interchange projects included in the 2004 Bond project must accommodate the future ultimate IH 30 facility. |
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Question: What is County Wide Planning Consortium? |
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Answer: The County Wide Planning Consortium (CWPC) is made up of elected officials and employees of the county and its respective cities, TxDOT and the NCTCOG. The CWPC primary purpose is to facilitate communication on Transportation Initiatives and Countywide Issues and to ensure stakeholders are informed and participating in the important transportation decisions being made. |
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Question: How does the Trans-Texas Corridor relate to these projects? |
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Answer: A component of the Trans-Texas Corridor could potentially utilize a portion of IH 30 through Rockwall County and/or follow the alignment established for the Outer Loop. This will not be the 1200 ft. wide corridor typically associated with the Trans-Texas Corridor. The IH 30 segment would facilitate the implementation of the managed lanes shown on the ultimate IH 30 section. The Outer Loop is being planned for a 500 ft. wide right-of-way to accommodate passenger vehicle and truck traffic. The Trans-Texas Corridor could facilitate construction of the Outer Loop but will require concurrence from TxDOT and the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG). This will ensure construction of a facility consistent with the needs and expectations of the region. Alternatively, the Trans-Texas Corridor may elect to follow a completely separate and as yet to be determined alignment. |
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Question: What’s been done so far? |
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Answer: See the Updates section for current status. Return to this page often to keep informed on the County’s progress on these important projects. |
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