Tx.Dot is looking to create fly over exits and on ramps at the 84 and 340 intersection. I believe expansion of 84 from Hewitt Drive to that point. The Hewitt Drive/Estates exit will be transformed to a divergent diamond interchange. Further more there will be an over pass at Franklin and New Road. With Franklin over passing New Road for clarification.

all needed

Agree. They have needed fly over on and off ramps at 84 and 340 for about 10 years but now that intersection has grown terribly more congested since then. The problem here is that usually it takes 7-8 years before ground breaking even occurs after plans are announced.

Getting rid of the awkward access roads along Franklin might be my favorite part of this project, although the ramps/flyovers are obviously great additions that are needed.

For those of us that live west of Waco (Woodway, Hidden Valley, etc), the flyover at Hwy 84 and Loop 340 is long overdue. My only concern is the construction process and the related detours. It could be a huge mess.

Yes it is all necessary but will be more or less a complete cluster during the construction process.

Boernebear said:

---

Getting rid of the awkward access roads along Franklin might be my favorite part of this project, although the ramps/flyovers are obviously great additions that are needed.

---

I have always thought those were so bad and such a danger. I have seen numerous accidents there all the time. There are just too many crossovers, with people that seem to ignore the whole side of the road in them and you get cars just mixed up trying to cross Franklin.

The 84 and 6 intersection needs some major work so this is good news. Although I would think some more flyovers at 6 and 35 would be first.

Quote:

---

Although I would think some more flyovers at 6 and 35 would be first.

---

Yep. They need to complete the interchange there.

cowboycwr said:

---

Boernebear said:

---

Getting rid of the awkward access roads along Franklin might be my favorite part of this project, although the ramps/flyovers are obviously great additions that are needed.

---

I have always thought those were so bad and such a danger. I have seen numerous accidents there all the time. There are just too many crossovers, with people that seem to ignore the whole side of the road in them and you get cars just mixed up trying to cross Franklin.

---

Keep in mind that was all done back in the 70s at the latest, I deduce based on that is how it was in 80 when I got to Waco. when there was very little on that stretch of Franklin. But I didnt catch that what are they doing expanding Franklin right up to those streets and parking lots along that stretch?

CorsicanaBear said:

---

Quote:

---

Although I would think some more flyovers at 6 and 35 would be first.

---

Yep. They need to complete the interchange there.

---

And, how about finally completing a functional 4-lane loop around Waco, including decent passage of traffic on 6 from BCS and Houston heading north to I-35?

East Loop 340 (Bellmead and East Waco, both relatively short on $$$ and political pull) is a joke. MPO money always seems to get shifted away from those areas so it stays perpetually 'unfunded', even though the plans were presented to the public 5 years ago.

Maybe TxDOT will make East Loop 340 happen regardless, but who knows? I'm sure TxDOT is most keen on doing I-35 from 12th street to 340/6 south of town, as it think it may be the last stretch of I-35 to 'improve'.

https://wacotrib.com/opinion/columnists/steve-boggs-diverging-diamond-design-coming-to-highway-84-corridor/article_dc0a2644-bc31-11ec-b62a-e7cfe6a9c9e8.html#tracking-source=home-the-latest

Innovative, low cost intersection design often means the same as cluster.

At a brief glance, the big problem is that this set up allows no way for motorists eastbound on 84 to directly access businesses at the South-East hard corner and motorists westbound to access businesses on the North-West hard corner. Gains at the intersection may be lost due to people turning left across Hewitt and Estates to get to businesses.

whitetrash said:

---

baylrballa said:

---

---

I think the only place where they have done that type of intersection is by the outlet mall and IKEA in Round Rock. It is the perfect example of a total fustercluck.

---

looked into it a bit more and it's becoming more common all over. seems like there is a bad transition period lot of places (there will be people going the wrong way), but eventually, it's pretty helpful.

makes a lot of sense for that intersection in particular.

now if that starbucks would just move to a better location.

I hate these types of intersections because it creates confusion on the access roads.

For example, using that map, if I'm going east on 84 heading into Waco from McGregor and I want to go to Shipleys at the corner, there is no way to get there. I'm going to have to take a right onto Hewitt Drive and either u-turn or attempt to turn into the shopping center immediately after merging with Hewitt which - if even possible - is a wreck waiting to happen.

Same if you are going west from Waco towards McGregor and you want to go to Walgreens.

whitetrash said:

---

baylrballa said:

---

---

I think the only place where they have done that type of intersection is by the outlet mall and IKEA in Round Rock. It is the perfect example of a total fustercluck.

---

I have seen a couple others but dont remember where. However that one I do specifically remember.

BaylorGuy314 said:

---

I hate these types of intersections because it creates confusion on the access roads.

For example, using that map, if I'm going east on 84 heading into Waco from McGregor and I want to go to Shipleys at the corner, there is no way to get there. I'm going to have to take a right onto Hewitt Drive and either u-turn or attempt to turn into the shopping center immediately after merging with Hewitt which - if even possible - is a wreck waiting to happen.

Same if you are going west from Waco towards McGregor and you want to go to Walgreens.

---

This was my thought as well, coming from towards Hidden Valley area and my first concern was morning kolache acquisition. It's already dicey enough trying to go from 84 to Hewitt Dr. and immediate left turn into the Wells Fargo parking lot to get to Shipleys, I can't imagine how brutal getting in there would be with this.

Admittedly I rarely endure the Woodway side of the frontage road (where Marco's Pizza, CVS, etc) is, but I never thought this intersection was really *that* bad.

However, Highway 6 and 84...that thing needs to be cleaned up big time. I encounter a wreck probably once a week on that off-ramp by the Whataburger on my way home, that thing sucks. And getting on highway 6 from 84 by the Valero in the morning, when that's filled with 5 semi's in a row trying to turn onto the frontage road to get on 6...just BRUTAL.

Although honestly, I vowed to never complain about Waco road infrastructure if that 84/Speegleville bridge actually came to fruition, and it was and continues to be just glorious. So...mums the word from me.

baylrballa said:

---

---

Yeah, Waco's demographics are a little finer aged than the state median.

I just can't wait till a bunch of our elders who are pretty stuck in their ways try to navigate this thing.

I know one guy who will just give up and take Bagby down to the South Valley Mills HEB instead. ha ha

SteamedHams said:

---

BaylorGuy314 said:

---

I hate these types of intersections because it creates confusion on the access roads.

For example, using that map, if I'm going east on 84 heading into Waco from McGregor and I want to go to Shipleys at the corner, there is no way to get there. I'm going to have to take a right onto Hewitt Drive and either u-turn or attempt to turn into the shopping center immediately after merging with Hewitt which - if even possible - is a wreck waiting to happen.

Same if you are going west from Waco towards McGregor and you want to go to Walgreens.

---

This was my thought as well, coming from towards Hidden Valley area and my first concern was morning kolache acquisition. It's already dicey enough trying to go from 84 to Hewitt Dr. and immediate left turn into the Wells Fargo parking lot to get to Shipleys, I can't imagine how brutal getting in there would be with this.

Admittedly I rarely endure the Woodway side of the frontage road (where Marco's Pizza, CVS, etc) is, but I never thought this intersection was really *that* bad.

However, Highway 6 and 84...that thing needs to be cleaned up big time. I encounter a wreck probably once a week on that off-ramp by the Whataburger on my way home, that thing sucks. And getting on highway 6 from 84 by the Valero in the morning, when that's filled with 5 semi's in a row trying to turn onto the frontage road to get on 6...just BRUTAL.

Although honestly, I vowed to never complain about Waco road infrastructure if that 84/Speegleville bridge actually came to fruition, and it was and continues to be just glorious. So...mums the word from me.

---

I think a big help there - even if they don't have the flyover for a while - will be the access roads that run alongside all the way to 35. Right now, the biggest mess about that interchange is the constant influx of people taking a right and then trying to cross the access road quickly to get onto the (relatively short) 340 on-ramp. You are basically forced to cross multiple lanes at once on a somewhat heavily trafficked road.

Once the access roads are extended (in process now) people will be able to more easily take a right and gently get over to enter the on ramp.

BaylorGuy314 said:

---

SteamedHams said:

---

BaylorGuy314 said:

---

I hate these types of intersections because it creates confusion on the access roads.

For example, using that map, if I'm going east on 84 heading into Waco from McGregor and I want to go to Shipleys at the corner, there is no way to get there. I'm going to have to take a right onto Hewitt Drive and either u-turn or attempt to turn into the shopping center immediately after merging with Hewitt which - if even possible - is a wreck waiting to happen.

Same if you are going west from Waco towards McGregor and you want to go to Walgreens.

---

This was my thought as well, coming from towards Hidden Valley area and my first concern was morning kolache acquisition. It's already dicey enough trying to go from 84 to Hewitt Dr. and immediate left turn into the Wells Fargo parking lot to get to Shipleys, I can't imagine how brutal getting in there would be with this.

Admittedly I rarely endure the Woodway side of the frontage road (where Marco's Pizza, CVS, etc) is, but I never thought this intersection was really *that* bad.

However, Highway 6 and 84...that thing needs to be cleaned up big time. I encounter a wreck probably once a week on that off-ramp by the Whataburger on my way home, that thing sucks. And getting on highway 6 from 84 by the Valero in the morning, when that's filled with 5 semi's in a row trying to turn onto the frontage road to get on 6...just BRUTAL.

Although honestly, I vowed to never complain about Waco road infrastructure if that 84/Speegleville bridge actually came to fruition, and it was and continues to be just glorious. So...mums the word from me.

---

I think a big help there - even if they don't have the flyover for a while - will be the access roads that run alongside all the way to 35. Right now, the biggest mess about that interchange is the constant influx of people taking a right and then trying to cross the access road quickly to get onto the (relatively short) 340 on-ramp. You are basically forced to cross multiple lanes at once on a somewhat heavily trafficked road.

Once the access roads are extended (in process now) people will be able to more easily take a right and gently get over to enter the on ramp.

---

Do you think the ramp to get onto Highway 6 from that intersection (at the Valero) will be pushed further down? Because even if the access road is established to be continuous, I'd still think you'd only get about 50 yards to cut into the left lane to be able to get onto 6.

This is the design plan for the current Loop 340 project.

Just as an aside I remember as recently as 30 years ago in the early 90s when the intersection of 340 ( I think just called Hwy 6 then still) and 35 was essentially like one of the current Lorena exits if not actually smaller believe it or not.

SteamedHams said:

---

BaylorGuy314 said:

---

I hate these types of intersections because it creates confusion on the access roads.

For example, using that map, if I'm going east on 84 heading into Waco from McGregor and I want to go to Shipleys at the corner, there is no way to get there. I'm going to have to take a right onto Hewitt Drive and either u-turn or attempt to turn into the shopping center immediately after merging with Hewitt which - if even possible - is a wreck waiting to happen.

Same if you are going west from Waco towards McGregor and you want to go to Walgreens.

---

This was my thought as well, coming from towards Hidden Valley area and my first concern was morning kolache acquisition. It's already dicey enough trying to go from 84 to Hewitt Dr. and immediate left turn into the Wells Fargo parking lot to get to Shipleys, I can't imagine how brutal getting in there would be with this.

Admittedly I rarely endure the Woodway side of the frontage road (where Marco's Pizza, CVS, etc) is, but I never thought this intersection was really *that* bad.

However, Highway 6 and 84...that thing needs to be cleaned up big time. I encounter a wreck probably once a week on that off-ramp by the Whataburger on my way home, that thing sucks. And getting on highway 6 from 84 by the Valero in the morning, when that's filled with 5 semi's in a row trying to turn onto the frontage road to get on 6...just BRUTAL.

Although honestly, I vowed to never complain about Waco road infrastructure if that 84/Speegleville bridge actually came to fruition, and it was and continues to be just glorious. So...mums the word from me.

---

seeing as Shipleys doesn't sell kolaches, u should be fine.

They sell sausage and egg etc kolaches.

T-REX said:

---

PartyBear said:

---

They sell sausage and egg etc kolaches.

---

no they don't. Those aren't kolaches.....

---

it's pretty clear.

That's debatable.

glorified pigs in a blanket?

baylrballa said:

---

That's debatable.

---

no it's not debatable. Kolaches are not meat in dough. The only reason people started calling what you are eating at shipleys a kolache is because the same dough is used when making kolaches and klobsnk. However, that may not even hold true for the dough shipleys uses vs what others use for their klobasnik. Only in the US do we call that a kolache and it's a typical dumb American thing that is uncultured.

What about those Canadians who call ham bacon. How do they get away with that?

baylrballa said:

---

What about those Canadians who call ham bacon. How do they get away with that?

---

they are wrong