FM 2499 jams likely through 2016

That left the FM 2499 project out of the contract for work on the DFW Connector as it was originally envisioned, but funds have become available and the project is moving along.

The nearly $90 million contract with NorthGate calls for reconstruction of the main lanes of FM 2499 from SH 121 north past Denton Creek.

"Right now, if you're envisioning you're going to go to Grapevine Mills, you get off SH 121 and stop at two lights," Stieg said.

Those traffic lights will disappear after construction is finished, she said.

"Instead of any lights, commuter traffic will be going underneath two intersections at Stars and Stripes Way and Grapevine Mills Boulevard."

The main lane changes as well as additional frontage roads are expected to improve the flow of traffic considerably, Stieg said, for both commuters to and from Flower Mound to the north and for city traffic around the mall.

"This way that traffic won't intermix," Stieg said.

Existing main lanes are being reconstructed to serve as the new southbound frontage road, Steig said. New construction includes northbound frontage lanes, two northbound main lanes and a pair of southbound main lanes.

Rebuilding the intersections at Stars and Stripes Way and Grapevine Mills Boulevard will involve extensive excavation work and reconstruction with bridges over below-grade sections of the main FM 2499 lanes, Stieg said.

What's happening now

NorthGate is well into the reconstruction process, Steig said, with rights of way being acquired and utility relocation work taking place in conjunction with the city of Grapevine. Grading work to level out new roadway planes is underway as well.

Northbound FM 2499 traffic has been moved over to those newly constructed northbound frontage road lanes in order to begin excavation, associated wall work and the bridge work at Stars and Stripes Way, Stieg said.

"Now that traffic has been moved over to that frontage, it's time for us to begin work on the walls and grading work," Stieg said. "Traffic will probably be in its current pattern for about a year."

Commuters won't be able to see much of the wall construction from their vehicles during the project, Stieg said, but grading operations will be visible, as well as bridge work and major lane construction up to the below-grade areas.

Grapevine Mills traffic

Improving traffic flow by separating mall traffic and commuter traffic to and from Flower Mound is at the heart of the project. Joe Szymaszek, the general manager of Grapevine Mills, said the work has created challenges that the mall has worked to manage positively.

"We recognize that [the work] might create travel delays for our consumers," Szymaszek said. "But we believe a trip to Grapevine Mills is worth it based on our merchant offerings and our diverse group of retailers. We've taken great measures to make sure we educate our consumers and our merchants via our social media and our Web page about what the project is, how it will be phased and what they can expect."

He said additionally that projects such as this leg of the DFW Connector are familiar for residents. Shoppers have and will find ways to make it to the mall with construction ongoing.

"[Consumers have] become very adept at adjusting to construction projects," he said. "This is an area that has a significant amount of that. There are a lot of other ways to get to our center. We have so much going on that gives compelling reasons to come here, and once people get comfortable with alternate routes, it's certainly worth the visit."

The final configuration of FM 2499 will make access to the mall that much better, he said, much as the SH 114 portion of the DFW Connector helped access to the general area.

Jerry Hodge, director of transportation projects for the city of Grapevine, is tasked with working alongside the contractor in construction planning and traffic management capacities. He also makes sure businesses in the affected areas have driveway access and specifically ensures multiple points of access for Grapevine Mills. He said NorthGate's planning and information initiatives are some of the best he has seen.

"They do a great job, do it efficiently, have great long-range planning, and do well at taking good steps in their construction," he said.

Learn as it progresses

Stieg said the FM 2499 project hasn't been as high-profile as the rest of the DFW Connector Project, given the volume of drivers on SH 114 and SH 121. For those who do use FM 2499 regularly, finding out more about traffic delays and what construction is happening at any given time can help in travel route planning, Stieg said.

Drivers can sign up for email alerts by visiting the www.dfwconnector.com website for weekly news and notifications about closures.

"When we send out emails every Friday, it covers major closures we're expecting for the following week," she said.