Has anyone been to/from Dallas using I35? How bad is it still?

Planning a trip tomorrow and want to have options in case it reaches standstill conditions. It looks like I could go out of my way and use Hwy 177 to Ardmore, which would bypass the Davis rock slide area, but doing so would turn a 3 hour trip into a 4 hour trip. The 3 hour estimate is from Google using current traffic conditions, oddly enough.

Last Sunday night it was backed up about 6 miles both directions and took about an hour to get thru at the Arbuckle rock slide area. Not sure if that is typical and may depend on time of day.

US81 south into north Texas, south to Decatur and on into the DFW area is a nice drive. I discovered the route over the last decade while ODOT was reconstructing parts of I35 between OKC and Texas causing lots of traffic headaches.

News said this morning it is shutdown in 3 places @ Wynnewood, Arbuckles, and Ardmoore so might be worth considering an alternate route.

It sucks

It sucks

That was what I was going to say. My son took his family to Turner Falls Friday and ends up calling me for alternative routing. I don't know why he doesn't carry hard copies of maps and he has a cheap gps.

This is probably too late for the OP, but I was in OKC this weekend and will second (or third) it is indeed awful. On Thursday when I drove up it was backed up at least 7 miles on the northbound side and about 5 miles on the SB side coming back this evening.

Best advice: coming from OKC towards Dallas, take the OK-7 exit and head towards Davis, then down 77 through the Arbuckles to exit 47 where you can get back on the interstate. Coming from Dallas, exit OK-53 and head east to 77, and take that north to exit 51. Its quite the scenic drive but it's twisty and extremely busy with all the detoured traffic, so use extra caution.

This is probably too late for the OP, but I was in OKC this weekend and will second (or third) it is indeed awful. On Thursday when I drove up it was backed up at least 7 miles on the northbound side and about 5 miles on the SB side coming back this evening.

Best advice: coming from OKC towards Dallas, take the OK-7 exit and head towards Davis, then down 77 through the Arbuckles to exit 47 where you can get back on the interstate. Coming from Dallas, exit OK-53 and head east to 77, and take that north to exit 51. Its quite the scenic drive but it's twisty and extremely busy with all the detoured traffic, so use extra caution.

I have been looking for *precisely* this kind of info for the last few days. There are tons of places that will tell you generally that "traffic is really bad around Turner Falls," but they don't suggest a *specific* alternate. My son had gone down to Falls Creek with some friends to meet up with some other friends at church camp, and he said it was nightmarish just getting into that area. We're planning a trip later this summer that direction, so forewarned is forearmed, so some rot like that :) Thanks

Glad I could help!

FWIW I don't think the repairs are going to be done with this stretch until at least early fall. They still have to dynamite the mountainside to get it stabilized, plus replace the road surface which was likely damaged beyond repair. Even driving on 77 you can clearly see spots with significant erosion and rock debris.

Glad I could help!

FWIW I don't think the repairs are going to be done with this stretch until at least early fall. They still have to dynamite the mountainside to get it stabilized, plus replace the road surface which was likely damaged beyond repair. Even driving on 77 you can clearly see spots with significant erosion and rock debris.

Oh no doubt at all, and the expected rains tomorrow aren't going to help. The day this first happened, a friend of mine said "They need to call the road people in Colorado. They deal with this stuff all the time," and a couple days later I heard that was *exactly* what they did. I suspect they're going to end up blasting a good portion of that rock face *waaay* back before all is said and done.

When I went to Texas last weekend I exited at Wynnewood, took that to 177, took 177 south past Sulfur, headed back west near Gene Autry. I think it added 40 minutes to my trip, which might be about the same difference as waiting in the line, but I'd MUCH rather be moving for that amount of time vs sitting there all irritable.

State has hired a contractor to do the blasting needed to clear the potential rock slide areas per news tonight.

State has hired a contractor to do the blasting needed to clear the potential rock slide areas per news tonight.

Looks like they're blasting this evening. I assume this is weather permitting.

Traffic Advisory - Traffic on I-35 near Turner Falls to stop briefly today (http://content.govdelivery.com/bulletins/gd/OKDOT-10de474?wgt_ref=OKDOT_WIDGET_2)

https://twitter.com/OKDOT/status/619190748253188097


PIC-Removal of unstable rock overlooking I-35 near Turner Falls. Work to clear June 18 rock slide continues. #boom

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CJfOtFrWoAEs2PB.jpg

In case anyone is curious, highway is back open, although there still might be the closure here or there to move rock.

In case anyone is curious, highway is back open, although there still might be the closure here or there to move rock.

and 35W in north Fort Worth still sucks with all the construction.

and 35W in north Fort Worth still sucks with all the construction.

35 anywhere in Texas pretty much sucks with all the construction for a long time.

I went to Dallas over the weekend (near SMU) from Ardmore and never got on an interstate. Quite possibly the most enjoyable drive I've made down there in years.

35 anywhere in Texas pretty much sucks with all the construction for a long time.

I went to Dallas over the weekend (near SMU) from Ardmore and never got on an interstate. Quite possibly the most enjoyable drive I've made down there in years.

I avoid it whenever possible.

What route did you take?

What route did you take?

From Ardmore I would guess cutting east to 377 or 75 and then south.

What route did you take?

I used US 377 and TX 289 as my north/south roads and OK 32 and US 70, 82 & 380 as my east/west.... There were also a few FM roads used in Texas but I forget the numbers.

I used US 377 and TX 289 as my north/south roads and OK 32 and US 70, 82 & 380 as my east/west.... There were also a few FM roads used in Texas but I forget the numbers.

380 between Denton and McKinney is TERRIBLE. Too many traffic lights and very crowded. I can't understand why TxDOT spent all that $$$ widening it and didn't get more RoW. Now it's too late.

380 between Denton and McKinney is TERRIBLE. Too many traffic lights and very crowded. I can't understand why TxDOT spent all that $$$ widening it and didn't get more RoW. Now it's too late.

Yeah, I've driven 380 several times on my way to Frisco. It's easily my least favorite road on the trip.