Northaven Trail Bridge Installation, Traffic Delays Complete

Northaven Trail bridge installation is complete, and in about a month and a half it’ll be open for pedestrians to cross U.S. 75.

(READ: Northaven Trail Pedestrian Bridge Expected to Open This Fall)

Highway closures were advertised, but many didn’t know the extent of the closures — including myself.

(READ: 75 to Close Near Royal for Bridge Install This Weekend)

Although the installation was at Royal and U.S. 75, slightly over a mile south, some drivers were stuck as the Walnut Hill exit and all highway lanes were closed, but drivers were still permitted to enter the highway.

They were blocked on the highway without a way to pass through or exit.

People emerged from their cars. “Do you know what’s going on?” and other chatter came from drivers as they tried to sleuth their way off the highway.

Around 1 p.m., after a while of waiting, one officer told us we’d be there until 3 p.m. People seemed to become increasingly worried. The woman in the car behind me said the highway closure caused her to miss her flight.

According to the officer at the front of traffic, construction workers were on foot on the highway to pick up cones and signs, meaning no vehicles could pass through — not even to exit. However, he said that 10 minutes after our conversation, we’d be free to move forward.

And that remained true.

The bridge is now installed over the highway, and WFAA describes the “temporary traffic headache” as being for a “good cause.” 

The Texas Department of Transportation has some additional construction to do to connect the bridge to trails on each side. A grand opening is planned for Oct. 28.