Interstate 345 Texas
Overview
Interstate 345 overlays the southernmost section of U.S. 75 along the Central Expressway between Downtown and Cle Elum in Dallas. The route is unmarked, with U.S. 75 signed alone on the mostly elevated route between IH 30 / IH 45 and State Spur 366 (Woodall Rogers Freeway).
Exits along IH 345 extend the IH 45 numbering system northward to SS 366 (Woodall Rogers Freeway). They reset at the exchange with Woodall Rodgers Freeway, which is Exit 1 along U.S. 75 (Central Expressway) southbound.1
Following a feasibility study by the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) started in 2019, five plans were evaluated for addressing the elevated freeway along IH 345/U.S. 75 built in 1973. The hybrid plan was selected. It keeps IH 345 above IH 30 and then lowers the freeway by around 65 feet while reconnecting the street grid linking Downtown Dallas and Deep Ellum. The freeway will ascend to connect with U.S. 75 at the present grade. Other options included removing the highway altogether, fully building it below grade, elevating IH 345 onto a narrow footprint, or maintaining the existing roadway.
If the plan is fully approved, construction could potentially start in 2027.
History
IH 345 was built in conjunction with the IH 45 / Central Expressway project in the 1970s.2 The designation was approved by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) on June 30, 1970.
Route Information
North End – Dallas, TX
South End – Dallas, TX
Mileage – 1.40
Cities – Dallas, TX
- Junctions –
Source: December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List
TXDOT contacted local map companies and requested them not display Interstate 345 on their maps as to avoid confusion for motorists.
Highway Guides
North End 
– Dallas, Texas
North at
A two-wye interchange (Exit 286A) joins the north end of unmarked IH 345 with Woodall Rodgers Freeway (SS 366) west to the Stemmons Freeway and the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge to the Trinity Groves neighborhood. U.S. 75 exit numbers commence at succeeding off-ramp for Hall Street and Lemmon Avenue. 08/06/19
East at
SS 366 east crosses the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge over the Trinity River onto a viaduct connecting with IH 35E (Stemmons Freeway). SS 366 continues one mile east to U.S. 75 and IH 345. 08/06/19
Woodall Rodgers Freeway lowers into a tunnel below Klyde Warren Park one half mile west of U.S. 75/IH 345 (Central Expressway). The tunnel was completed in 2012. 08/06/19
SS 366 ascends from the tunnel beyond Pearl Street, rising to a directional T interchange with U.S. 75 (Central Expressway) and IH 345 south by Uptown and the Old East Dallas community. 08/06/19
South at
U.S. 75 advances southward below grade along the Central Expressway toward the exchange with State Spur 366 (Woodall Rodgers Freeway) west to IH 35E (Stemmons Freeway) and the unmarked beginning of IH 345. 08/06/19
Pull through signs refer to the remainder of U.S. 75 south along the IH 345 portion of the Central Expressway as IH 45. N Hall Street spans the freeway at the two lane ramp (Exit 1 A) for SS 366 west to IH 35E. 08/06/19
The Woodall Rodgers Freeway (unsigned SS 366) runs between Uptown and Downtown Dallas, linking IH 345 and U.S. 75 with IH 35E (Stemmons Freeway) and the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge crossing the Trinity River. 08/06/19
Throwback – South at
IH 345 accompanies U.S. 75 (Central Expressway) 1.5 miles south from SS 366 to the four-level interchange with IH 30. 09/05/09
South End – Dallas, Texas
South at
The initial sign for IH 30 appears along IH 345/U.S. 75 (Central Expressway) southbound within the exchange at SS 366 (Woodall Rodgers Freeway) west. 09/05/09
Exit 284 departs from the Central Expressway south to Downtown and Deep Ellum just ahead of the four level interchange (Exit 284 A) with IH 30. 09/05/09
U.S. 75 and IH 345 conclude as IH 45 commences a 285 mile course to Houston and the Texas Gulf Coast. IH 45 replaced U.S. 75 south from Downtown Dallas to Galveston Island. 09/05/09
IH 45 begins on the top deck of the systems interchange with IH 30 and the Central Expressway. Two lanes curve east onto IH 30 toward Mesquite and Texarkana. 09/05/09
North at
An end sign for IH 45 precedes the multi level interchange with IH 30 and U.S. 75 / IH 345 (Central Expressway) by a half mile. U.S. 75 extends the IH 45 freeway northward to Colbert, Oklahoma, serving the communities of McKinney, Sherman and Denison, Texas. Photo by Justin Cozart (12/02).
East at
Ramps from IH 35E (Stemmons Freeway) to IH 30 east form a collector distributor roadway to IH 45/345 and U.S. 75 ahead of Hotel Street. 05/10/22
The c/d roadway along IH 30 extends east to Cesar Chavez Boulevard and a separate distributor roadway for IH 45/345 and U.S. 75. 05/10/22
Akard Street crosses over IH 30 a half mile ahead of Exit 46 to IH 45/345. Cesar Chavez Boulevard is the former Central Expressway and old route of U.S. 75. 05/10/22
Traffic partitions into single lane ramps from IH 30 east for IH 45 south to Ennis and U.S. 75 north to Plano. 05/10/22
Exit 46 splits into ramps for unsigned IH 345/U.S. 75 (Central Expressway) north toward McKinney and IH 45 south to Houston and Galveston. 05/10/22
West at
One mile ahead of the four-level interchange (Exit 47B) with the Central Expressway north and IH 45 south on IH 30 westbound. 08/06/19
Exit 47B splits into a single lane ramp for IH 45 south to southeast Dallas and Hutchins and IH 345/U.S. 75 north to Downtown and Belmont Park. 08/06/19
Sources:
- Michael R. Wilson, email: “I-45/I-345/US-75 in Dallas” August 11, 2003
- “From Anywhere to Everywhere: The Development of the Interstate Highway System in Texas”
http://tti.tamu.edu/interstate_anniversary/white_paper/by Penny Beaumont, Rhonda Brinkmann, David Ellis, Chris Pourteau, and Brandon V. Webb, Texas Transportation Institute, page 34. - “TxDOT wants to lower I-345 in a trench, reconnect roads from downtown Dallas to Deep Ellum.” The Dallas Morning News, May 24, 2022.
Page updated June 3, 2022.
