If you live, work, or play around Lake Ray Hubbard, you have probably seen the cranes and barges working alongside the I-30 bridge. This construction is part of a long-planned I-30 expansion and improvement project that stretches from Bass Pro Drive in Garland to the Hunt County line east of Rockwall. According to the Texas Department of Transportation I-30 Expansion Improvement Project fact sheet, the work will widen I-30 and add continuous frontage roads, including new bridges across Lake Ray Hubbard, to relieve congestion and keep traffic moving when there is a crash or stalled vehicle on the main bridge.
For future residents in Rockwall County, including communities such as Horizon Lakes and Lakesong, these improvements are a significant development. More lanes and new frontage road bridges mean more reliable drive times into Dallas, Garland, and the eastern employment corridors, plus better access to shopping, dining, and the waterfront recreation that makes Lake Ray Hubbard so popular.
Where The Project Is Happening
According to the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT), the I-30 expansion covers three main segments between Bass Pro Drive and the Hunt County line. Segment 1 runs from Bass Pro Drive to Dalrock Road. Segment 2 runs from Dalrock Road across Lake Ray Hubbard to State Highway 205 in Rockwall. Segment 3 continues from SH 205 east to the Hunt County line.
The lake crossing that most drivers think of as the Lake Ray Hubbard bridge sits in Segment 2 between Rowlett and Rockwall. Here, TxDOT is not only widening the mainlanes but also building brand new frontage road bridges on both the north and south sides of the existing bridge. That means that instead of just relying on the main bridge, drivers will have alternative routes to get around crashes, stalled vehicles, or routine maintenance.
How Many Lanes And New Connections
The biggest question most drivers ask is simple: how many new lanes are we getting? According to the City of Rockwall I 30 expansion update, Segment 1 between Bass Pro Drive and Dalrock Road constructed new frontage roads with up to six lanes, rebuilt the Dalrock Road interchange, and improved the Bayside Drive bridge and ramps. This work began in July 2021 with an estimated construction cost of 142 million dollars and reached substantial completion in August 2024.
For Segment 2 from Dalrock Road to SH 205, which includes the main Lake Ray Hubbard crossing, TxDOT describes the work as reconstructing and widening the existing six mainlanes to eight and constructing new frontage roads that go from zero to six lanes over the lake. The project also reconstructs existing frontage roads and adjusts ramps to match the new configuration. Early estimates from the City of Rockwall placed the construction cost for this segment at about 89 million dollars for the mainlane work and 172 million dollars for the frontage roads. In TxDOTs summer 2025 fact sheet, Segment 2 is now listed with an estimated construction cost of 317 million dollars, reflecting updated quantities and construction conditions.
East of SH 205, Segment 3 continues the widening out toward the Hunt County line. According to the TxDOT Project Fact Sheet of 2025, this segment will reconstruct and widen the existing four mainlanes to six and rebuild the frontage roads to four or six lanes while adding a new interchange at Rochell Road and Ben Payne Road and improving other crossings. TxDOTs project fact sheet lists an estimated construction cost of 343 million dollars for Segment 3.
What This Means For Horizon Lakes Residents
For current and future homeowners in Huffines master planned communities in Rockwall County, the I 30 expansion is a long term investment in mobility. Communities like Horizon Lakes in Rockwall and Waterscape in Royse City already attract buyers who want suburban space with convenient access to the Dallas-Fort Worth metroplex. As new lanes open and frontage road bridges are completed, residents should see more consistent travel times to downtown Dallas, major employment areas in Garland and Mesquite, and destinations further east toward Greenville.
The improvements near Horizon Road and Ridge Road will also strengthen access to local retail and dining at The Harbor and along the I-30 corridor. For families who split their time between the lake, school events, and work in the city, that added reliability is a real quality of life upgrade.
How To Stay Informed
Because this is a long-running project, it is worth bookmarking a few official sources so you can keep up with lane closures and milestones. TxDOT maintains an I-30 Expansion Improvement Project fact sheet that is updated periodically, along with links to videos and project maps for Rockwall County. The City of Rockwall also hosts an I-30 expansion project updates page that summarizes the project scope and costs and provides links back to TxDOT materials. Rockwall County’s Consortium Reports offer a deeper dive into construction cost, schedule, and current construction activities for each segment.
Horizon Lakes, a 900-acre master planned community in McLendon Chisholm with planned lakes, parks, trails, and a lakeside amenity center just a few miles from I-30 and The Harbor, is positioned to benefit directly from these regional mobility upgrades.
To learn more about our other communities and other news affecting them, visit the Solterra news, Horizon Lakes updates, and our Lakesong updates pages.