Life in the Fast Lane
Life in the Fast LaneGetting Around
A series of highways and interstates connect the communities that comprise the Dallas Region. The roads are undergoing steady improvements to keep pace with North Texas’ population growth. In the Dallas Region, we call some roads by their number, like “75,” and some by their name, like “George Bush Turnpike.” Here’s your handy guide to highways with more than one name.
Guide to highways with more than one name
S.H. 183 from S.H. 114 to the south DFW International Airport entrance
PGBT, S.H. 190, S.H. 161 in Las Colinas
S.H. 183 and S.H. 114 from I-35E to the north DFW International Airport entrance
U.S. Highway 75 south of downtown
I-635, begins at the north entrance of DFW International Airport and circles the city from the north, east, and south; it includes I-20 in the south
Inner-city loop including Northwest Highway on the north, Buckner Boulevard on the east, Ledbetter Drive on the south, and Walton Walker Boulevard on the west
I-30 between I-35E in Dallas and I-35W in Fort Worth
U.S. Highway 67 from I-35E to I-635 south of downtown
U.S. Highway 75 from downtown to the north
U.S. Highway 75 from Walnut Hill Lane to downtown Dallas
I-45 from downtown to the south
I-35E from downtown to the north
I-35E south of Dallas and I-30 from downtown to East Dallas
U.S. Highway 67 from I-635 to the south
Spur 366, the short freeway that connects I-35E with U.S. Highway 75 and I-45
If you’re going to be a frequent traveler on one of the tollways or the turnpike, you’ll want to get a TollTag. The self-adhesive transponder sticks on your windshield and debits your NTTA account each time you use a toll road (there are no toll booths on North Texas toll roads). You can skip the whole TollTag business, but you won’t get a free ride. The NTTA bills the registered owner of the vehicle by mail via ZipCash, which costs 50 percent more than paying via TollTag. To open a TollTag account, go to ntta.org or call 972-818-6882. You can also apply for a tag in person at a regional NTTA partner, which includes government offices, libraries, and grocery stores all over the region.
Bonus: You can use your TollTag to pay for parking and pass-through at DFW International and Dallas Love Field airports.
What Are Managed Toll Lanes?
Texas has a low gasoline tax relative to many other states, which means it needs another way to fund the construction and operation of highways—and that way is tolls, specifically, managed toll lanes.
In a nutshell, managed toll lanes are taking the place of what were carpool lanes on freeways. Commuters who want to avoid congestion during peak travel times can take a managed lane for a price.