Berry Street and University Drive intersection in Fort Worth to open ahead of schedule

Scheduled to open on August 6, it will instead debut on July 16.

Photo by Lexy Cruz

The intersection was redone at Berry Street and University Drive in Fort Worth.

The Berry Street and University Drive intersection will reopen Monday, three weeks ahead of schedule.

Fort Worth Assistant City Manager Fernando Costa told City Council members at a meeting on Tuesday afternoon that the construction contractor McClendon Construction Co. “exceeded expectations,” according to the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Construction began on June 11 and was scheduled to last until August 6.

In May, city officials met with more than 60 people who wanted to know how they would be affected by the new plan, compared to the original 10-month timetable for construction.

Citizens and city officials were initially wary of the expedited plan, but after officials explained the process and answered questions, the crowd applauded for the expedited plan.

The final look will replicate the work done between Waits Avenue to Forest Park Boulevard for the Berry Street initiative, said Arty Wheaton-Rodriguez, senior planner for the Fort Worth Planning and Development Department.

This will include narrowing of the streets, on-street parking, widened sidewalks, enhanced crosswalks and medians, roadway and pedestrian lighting, street furniture, street trees, and landscaping, said Chuck McLure, a senior engineering technician with the department of transportation and public works with the City of Fort Worth.

“They’re trying to make it an urban living and business environment,” McLure said.

This project was funded by money administered to the city by the North Central Texas Council of Governments, McLure said.