Interstate 820 Texas

Interstate 820 Texas
Benbrook, TX ↔ Kennedale, TX•35.42 miles

Overview

Part of the Fort Worth beltway, Interstate 820 (Jim Wright Freeway) wraps around the west, north, and east sides of the city. The southern portion of the beltway is a part of IH 20. U.S. 287 combines with IH 820 along the southeast quadrant of the beltway. SH 121 and SH 183 overlap with IH 820 between Richland Hills and Hurst to the northeast. Tolled Express Lanes accompany the leg of IH 820 between IH 35W and SH 121 as well.

Mileage by State

Texas35.42 mi

Data Sources

December 31, 2021 Interstate Route Log and Finders List

History

Interstate 820 was one of the proposed routes approved by the American Association of State Highway Officials (AASHO) on November 10, 1958 for the Texas urban Interstate numerology. Following what was labeled as Loop 217 on planning maps, IH 820 wrapped around the east side of Fort Worth from IH 35W, and continued west along Loop 217 to Southwestern Boulevard. A proposed extension linked IH 820 with IH 20 / F.A.I. 2. The northwestern quadrant was omitted.

IH 20 was initially proposed to follow the Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike, leaving IH 820 to continue around the south side of Fort Worth. The initial route utilized SH 183 along Southwest Boulevard north to U.S. 377. This changed in 1962.1

IH 20 was eventually rerouted to a new alignment across south Fort Worth, Arlington, Grand Prairie and south Dallas. This included an overlap with IH 820. When IH 30 was relocated to the Turnpike in 1978, IH 820 was truncated to cover three of the four sides of the beltway.2

Fort Worth, TX - 1969
The 1969 Texas Official State Map shows Interstate 820 incorporating a section of State Loop 820, which is today part of SH 183. The freeway loop was eventually extended further west.
Forth Worth, TX - 1986
The completed belt route of Interstate 820 on the 1986 Official Texas State Map.
FM 1220 at IH 820 in Lake Worth, Texas
Interstate 820 at FM 1220 (Azle Avenue) in the city of Lake Worth, Texas 10/19/03

East End Interstate 20 U.S. 287 ‐ Kennedale, TX

Interstate 820 U.S. 287 South at Interstate 20

IH 820/US 287 south at IH 20 - Ft Worth, TX

U.S. 287 joins IH 820 south from Martin Luther King, Jr. Freeway at a three wye interchange, 1.1 mile ahead of Exit 34 A to IH 20. 08/06/19

IH 820/US 287 south at IH 20 - Ft Worth, TX IH 820/US 287 south at IH 20 - Ft Worth, TX IH 820/US 287 south at IH 20 - Ft Worth, TX

Interstate 20 East at Interstate 820 U.S. 287

IH 20 east at IH 820/US 287 - Forest Hill, TX

Through the city of Forest Hill, IH 20 drops below grade at Anglin Drive, one mile ahead of the exchange (Exit 442 B) with IH 820/U.S. 287 north. 08/06/19

IH 20 east at IH 820/US 287 - Forest Hill, TX IH 20 east at IH 820/US 287 - Forest Hill, TX IH 20 east at IH 820/US 287 - Kennedale, TX

Interstate 20 West U.S. 287 North at Interstate 820

IH 20/US 287 west at IH 820 - Arlington, TX

Heading west from Arlington, U.S. 287 north briefly combines with IH 20 west to IH 820 north. The freeway passes just south of Lake Arlington and north of Kennedale on this stretch. 08/06/19

IH 20/US 287 west at IH 820 - Arlington, TX IH 20/US 287 west at IH 820 - Ft Worth, TX IH 20/US 287 west at IH 820 - Ft Worth, TX

West End Interstate 20 ‐ Benbrook, TX

Interstate 820 South at Interstate 20

IH 820 south at IH 20 - Ft Worth, TX

Exit 1 A leaves IH 820 southbound for the Montserrat development in Fort Worth, a half mile ahead of IH 20. 08/06/19

IH 820 south at IH 20 - Ft Worth, TX IH 820 south at IH 20 - Ft Worth, TX IH 820 south at IH 20 - Ft Worth, TX IH 820 south at IH 20 - Ft Worth, TX

Interstate 20 East at Interstate 820

IH 20 east at IH 820 - Ft Worth, TX

IH 20 meets FM 2871 (Chapin School Road) by the Markum Ranch neighborhood, one mile west of IH 820. 08/06/19

IH 20 east at IH 820 - Ft Worth, TX IH 20 east at IH 820 - Ft Worth, TX IH 20 east at IH 820 - Ft Worth, TX

Interstate 20 West at Interstate 820

IH 20 west at IH 820 - Benbrook, TX

U.S. 377 (Benbrook Boulevard) converges with IH 20 at Exit 429 A just south of the split with IH 820 at Exit 428. 08/06/19

IH 20 west at IH 820 - Benbrook, TX IH 20 west at IH 820 - Benbrook, TX IH 20 west at IH 820 - Benbrook, TX IH 20 west at IH 820 - 2002

West End – Past Views  ‐ Overhill Road – Fort Worth, TX

Past Views Gallery (Tap to Expand / Collapse Section)

Interstate 20 at SH 183 (Southwest Boulevard)

IH 20 west at SH 183 - Ft. Worth, TX

Advancing west to the separation with SH 183 (Southwest Boulevard) on IH 20 westbound. Both of these routes were originally IH 820, with SH 183 representing the original alignment for the Fort Worth loop. Photo by Justin Cozart (08/17/03).

IH 20 west at SH 183 - Ft. Worth, TX SH 183 north at Vickery Blvd - Ft Worth, TX SH 183 north at Overhill Rd - Ft Worth, TX

References

  1. Justin Cozart, email: "I-820 pre-1962 western end." August 17, 2003.
  2. Texas Transportation Institute, page 34. From Anywhere to Everywhere: The Development of the Interstate Highway System in Texas. Retrieved from http://tti.tamu.edu/interstate_anniversary/white_paper/
Updated August 16, 2019