Construction made driving through University Park an adventure this summer. But the quest to find a better route is coming to an end — some projects are beginning to wrap up, and traffic should improve.
“We appreciate your patience,” the city’s director of engineering Katie Barron said. “It has been a lot, and we know it has.”
An update on the status of construction projects in University Park is below. The information has been summarized from an interview with Barron and community information officer Paige Ruedy.
Miracle Mile
University Park is repaving the stretch of Lovers Lane between Douglas Avenue and the Dallas North Tollway and replacing the utilities underneath it for the first time in decades.
The city has completed the project’s storm drain work, installed a new water line, and repaved Lovers Lane from the tollway to Armstrong Parkway. The city has also realigned the Douglas Avenue and Lovers Lane intersection.
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University Park is now repaving Lovers Lane from Armstrong Parkway to Douglas Avenue and has closed the south side of the intersection of Douglas and Lovers for repaving, the installation of traffic signals, and other upgrades. Weather permitting, the city hopes to completely reopen the intersection at the end of August.
The city anticipates opening Lovers Lane to traffic in September. Then, it will work block-by-block to repave the Miracle Mile’s parking lots and sidewalks. While a parking lot is closed, the adjacent sidewalk will remain open so that customers can continue to access local businesses.
Despite wet summer weather and unexpected finds during what Barron called an archeological dig under Lovers Lane, the project remains on track for completion in the summer of 2026.
Snider Plaza
The entire Plaza is now open. At its heart is a new fountain which, while similar in design to its predecessor, features modernized, more efficient equipment and lighting.
Improvements to roads and sidewalks are almost complete. The city is working on Rosedale Avenue between Hillcrest Avenue and Snider Plaza, and the Rankin Avenue parking lot. At the end of September, it will begin beautifying the plaza with landscaping and the installation of new trees.
Work is slated to wrap up by Thanksgiving.
Intersection of Hillcrest and Daniel Avenues
The city is realigning the intersection to increase safety for both drivers and pedestrians.
Upgrades include the creation of a dedicated left-turn lane on Hillcrest Avenue for southbound traffic turning east to Daniel Avenue.
As pedestrians and vehicles gallop through the improved intersection, they won’t be able to miss a replica of SMU’s pony logo in red pavers at its center. SMU has funded a significant portion of the intersection improvements.
The section of Daniel Avenue that passes through SMU reopened in August as a T intersection with Hillcrest Avenue after a closure this summer. The intersection is slated to fully reopen in September.
Traffic Signals
The traffic signals at Lovers Lane and Preston Road have been replaced as part of an effort to upgrade signals throughout the city. Routine signal replacement at Lovers Lane and Dickens Avenue is also underway.
University Park has installed a new traffic signal at Airline Road and University Boulevard due to the results of a traffic study and at the request of SMU.
Repaving
The city has replaced almost 12.5 miles of asphalt as part of its biennial resurfacing program. It wrapped up the final section, Dickens Avenue between Lovers Lane and Daniel Avenue, on Aug. 6.
