Travelers in the Hurst and North Richland Hills areas of the metroplex can expect some traffic flow changes this weekend. Southbound traffic on I-820 will shift to a new bridge crossing over State Highway 121, and the old bridge will be demolished.
I-820 southbound traffic will be rerouted onto southbound State Highway 121, exiting at Minnis Drive, then returning northbound on SH 121 and exiting at the I-820 southbound direct connector ramp.
Road crews will dismantle the old I-820 bridge beginning Friday, July 15, at 9 p.m. Work should be concluded by 6 a.m. on Monday, July 18. Delays and reroutes will affect both northbound and southbound traffic during this period.
Northbound traffic will exit at Handley-Ederville Road and continue on the 121 northbound frontage road to re-enter from the State Highway 10 northbound entrance ramp.
Southbound traffic will be detoured on I-820 southbound to exit at Trinity Boulevard, turning west to Handley-Ederville Road, then north back to the 121 southbound frontage road and the entrance near Big Fossil Creek.
While the bridge switch is the latest in updates happening to Interstate 820, the Texas Department of Transportation started working on the east loop of 820 in July 2018. The I-820 East Loop Project is part of the $3.8 billion Texas Clear Lanes congestion relief initiative started by Gov. Greg Abbott and the Texas Legislature to reduce gridlock in some of the state’s most congested areas.
Work is underway to prepare the frontage road leading to the Highway 10 underpass and the future southbound main lanes on the SH 10 bridge over I-820. New retaining walls are being built along the main lanes of I-820 heading north between Randol Mill Road and the Trinity River as well as on the direct connector from I-820 heading north to the southbound SH 121 direct connector.
The Trinity River bridge is being replaced, additional lanes are being built in each direction, and new direct connectors to and from State Highway 121 are being built as part of the I-820 East Loop Project. The projected date of completion is 2023 and has a cost of $174 million.