Tue Sep 10 18:37:58 UTC 2024: ## Dallas City Council to Vote on $41 Million for I-30 Deck Parks, Bridging a Divided City

**Dallas, TX** – The Dallas City Council is set to vote on a $41 million investment this Wednesday that could be a game-changer for the city’s infrastructure and social fabric. The funds would be allocated towards building deck caps on Interstate 30, effectively creating park spaces that aim to bridge the divide that has separated downtown Dallas for decades.

Longtime radio host and entrepreneur Willis Johnson describes I-30 as a “canyon,” a physical barrier that has created a “tale of two cities” between the north and south sides of downtown. This vote, he believes, signifies a major step towards rectifying this imbalance.

The Texas Department of Transportation (TXDOT) already has plans to redesign the I-30 freeway through downtown. Dallas City Council’s approval will allow for the construction of deck caps at Lamar Street and between St. Paul and Harwood Streets, providing a foundation for future park spaces.

These deck parks, modeled after the successful Klyde Warren Park over Woodall Rodgers Freeway and the upcoming Southern Gateway Park near the Dallas Zoo, would serve as vital connections for the communities on either side of I-30.

“Anything that connects South is a big deal to me, it’s a big deal to the city,” Johnson emphasized.

Evan Sheets, Vice President of Planning and Policy with Downtown Dallas Inc. (DDI), considers this vote a crucial moment in the project’s development. “These projects are really key opportunities that only happen once in a generation,” he said.

The City Council’s approval will enable the necessary groundwork to be laid during the TXDOT reconstruction of I-30, ensuring that the infrastructure for the deck parks is in place. Design plans for the St. Paul to Harwood deck park are still in development, while concept designs for the Lamar Street deck park were included in the 2023 update to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center master plan.

These park spaces hold the potential to not only create beautiful public spaces but also foster stronger connections between communities, revitalize the southern side of downtown, and revitalize the city’s heart.

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