Beat the Barrels: DFW Roadwork Map

If your usual DFW drive has felt a little different lately, there’s a good reason.

Across the Metroplex, several major road projects are underway, about to start, or still in the design phase. Some are big enough to affect major highway connections. Others are smaller intersection and street projects that can make a familiar drive surprisingly inconvenient.

The one with the biggest footprint is in Denton.

The I-35E/I-35W interchange is being rebuilt along 4.8 miles from North Texas Boulevard to US 77 north of Denton. The $583 million project includes rebuilding the interchange and frontage roads, widening the corridor to six- to eight-lane rural freeway sections, modifying ramps, and adding new connections between I-35E and I-35W.

Right now, crews are working around the northbound I-35W exit ramp to Oak Street, along with frontage-road and mainlane paving and earthwork. If you regularly use that part of I-35, keep an eye on it because construction is expected to continue through 2029.

That doesn't mean Denton is the only place where drivers need to adjust.

In Prosper, First Street is being widened from two lanes to four between the Dallas North Tollway and Coleman Street. Utility work is underway, and a temporary detour lane is in place around the railroad crossing. The project is expected to continue through fall 2027 and includes drainage, curbs, and a new water line.

Over in Fort Worth, work started August 24 at North Beach Street and North Tarrant Parkway. The intersection is being upgraded with dual left-turn lanes, dedicated right-turn lanes, new traffic signals, ADA ramps, and pavement markings. Construction is scheduled to continue through October 2027.

McKinney's Silverado Trail project is still ahead of construction, but it is worth knowing about now. The city plans to add westbound lanes between Kenley Drive and Burnett Drive and build a bridge over Rowlett Creek. Design is 90% complete, with construction expected to begin in spring 2027 and continue into spring 2028.

Richardson is also preparing for a major change along Greenville Avenue between Centennial Boulevard and Huffhines Street. The road is scheduled for a full concrete reconstruction, along with sewer and water improvements. Design is currently around 60% complete, with construction planned for fall 2027 through spring 2029.

Five projects. Different roads, different timelines, and very different levels of disruption.

That timing is actually useful information for drivers. If you're already dealing with construction, you need to know where the active work is. If you regularly use Silverado Trail or Greenville Avenue, knowing what's coming gives you a little more time to pay attention to the project before it becomes part of your routine.

And when you're actually on the road, a few simple habits can help.

Check your route before you leave. Even if you've driven the same road hundreds of times, temporary lane changes and detours can make the route different from the one you remember.

Don't rely entirely on muscle memory. Around active construction, watch the temporary signs and lane markings before making your normal turn or lane change. The Oak Street area in Denton and the railroad crossing in Prosper are good examples of places where the setup may not look the same from one trip to the next.

If navigation reroutes you, take a second look before ignoring it. A different route may be responding to a closure, lane shift, or construction slowdown that isn't obvious until you're already on the road.

And give yourself a little room when you can. Not necessarily an extra half hour for every trip, but enough time that a missed turn or unexpected detour doesn't turn into a stressful scramble.

The construction itself may be frustrating. That's pretty normal when the road you're used to suddenly works differently.

But these five projects are also changing key parts of the DFW transportation network, from the I-35 interchange in Denton to neighborhood connections in McKinney and Richardson. Some of those changes are happening now. Others are still a year or more away.

For drivers, the useful part is knowing what's coming before you meet the cones.

DFW Transportation Updates at a Glance:

• Denton: I-35E/I-35W interchange rebuild, $583 million, construction through 2029.

• Prosper: First Street widening, Dallas North Tollway to Coleman Street, through fall 2027.

• Fort Worth: North Beach Street and North Tarrant Parkway intersection improvements, through October 2027.

• McKinney: Silverado Trail expansion and Rowlett Creek bridge construction expected in spring 2027.

• Richardson: Greenville Avenue reconstruction and utility improvements, construction expected in fall 2027.