Fort Worth · Downtown Lancaster Street
The Last Months of the Lancaster Elevated
36 construction photographs and two maps · August–December 2001
The Lancaster Street elevated freeway stood over downtown Fort Worth for more than 40 years. These photographs follow its last months in 2001, from the eve of demolition to the final piers, with the original TexasFreeway account and route maps preserved below.
↗ EnlargeThe last full day beneath the Lancaster elevated.
36 dated photographs · One continuous collection
Watch the Lancaster elevated come down.
Scan the photographs and captions, or settle into the larger slideshow.
Explore the Lancaster demolition photographs
August 19, 2001 · 16 photographs
The Lancaster elevated on the eve of demolition
The eve of demolition
16 archive photographsInterstate 30 Lancaster Street Elevated, Downtown Fort Worth
19-August-2001
Created and last updated August 29, 2001
Return to IH-30/Lancaster main page
Demolition/dismantling of the Lancaster elevated began on August 20, 2001. These photos were taken on August 19, 2001, the eve of the start of major demolition work.
Lancaster elevated before demolition
Looking east along Lancaster
Demolition kickoff guardrail
19-August-2001
Eastern end of the elevated structure
19-August-2001
West along the elevated structure
19-August-2001
Westbound Lancaster beneath the elevated
19-August-2001
On the narrow elevated freeway
19-August-2001
Lamp post awaiting removal
19-August-2001
Jackhammers ready for demolition
19-August-2001
Beneath the elevated structure
19-August-2001
Another view beneath the elevated
19-August-2001
View from the new I-35W stack
19-August-2001
Second view from the new stack
19-August-2001
Old and new I-30 alignments
19-August-2001
Looking east toward the new stack
19-August-2001
Sunset over the Lancaster elevated
September 16, 2001 · 5 photographs
One month into demolition
Views from September 16
5 archive photographsInterstate 30 Lancaster Street Elevated, Downtown Fort Worth
16-September-2001
Created and last updated October 4, 2001
Return to IH-30/Lancaster main page
Demolition/dismantling of the Lancaster elevated began on August 20, 2001. These photos were taken on September 16, 2001, about one month into the job. Only a minimal amount of progress had been made.
16-September-2001
Deck pavement removed
16-September-2001
Under the elevated structure
16-September-2001
Looking east beneath the elevated
16-September-2001
West from the south side
16-September-2001
Railroad terminal beyond the elevated
October 14, 2001 · 6 photographs · Jason Eargle
The viaduct halfway down
Views from October 14
6 archive photographsInterstate 30 Lancaster Street Elevated, Downtown Fort Worth
14-October-2001
Created and last updated 17-October-2001
Return to IH-30/Lancaster main page
As of October 14, 2001, removal of the viaduct was nearing the halfway point.
Photos contributed by Jason Eargle
14-October-2001
Demolition at the west end
14-October-2001
Looking east
December 5, 2001 · 9 photographs
The final piers along Lancaster
The final piers
9 archive photographsInterstate 30 Lancaster Street Elevated, Downtown Fort Worth
5-December-2001
Created and last updated 6-December-2001
Return to IH-30/Lancaster main page
On December 5, 2001, all that remained were about 10 piers at the eastern end of the structure. A jackhammer was busy breaking up one of the piers when I visited to take photographs.
All photos taken 5-December-2001
5-December-2001
Jackhammer demolishing a pier
5-December-2001
Lancaster demolition photograph 2
5-December-2001
Remaining piers along Lancaster
5-December-2001
Lancaster demolition photograph 4
5-December-2001
Lancaster demolition photograph 5
5-December-2001
Looking west along the corridor
5-December-2001
Cleared Lancaster corridor
5-December-2001
West along the cleared corridor
5-December-2001
A final westward corridor view
From the original archive
Route maps
Last updated 6-December-2001, created August 29, 2001 · Return to the photographs ↑
Interstate 30 Lancaster Street Elevated, Downtown Fort Worth, 1958-2001
Photo Gallery
- August 19, 2001, the eve of the start of demolition
- September 16, 2001, a small amount of progress has been made.
- October 14, 2001, demolition is about halfway complete.
- December 5, 2001, demolition is nearing completion.
News article about the start of demolition, 16-August-2001.
The IH-30 elevated structure has loomed over Lancaster Street in downtown Fort Worth for over 40 years. By the end of 2001, it will be gone. Normally the death of a freeway is a bad thing, but not in this case. The antiquated elevated freeway has been replaced by a modern new freeway a few hundred meters to the south, and downtown Fort Worth will be a much better place without the Lancaster elevated.
TxDOT originally planned to reconstruct and widen the existing elevated structure on Lancaster Street. There was strong opposition to this plan, and the public input process resulted in the relocation of the freeway and the new interchange at Interstate 35W. This is definitely a case where freeway opposition ultimately resulted in a much better result for everyone. Of course, the final design probably increased the cost, but it was definitely worth the extra money. Overall, the project will cost around $175 million, not too bad for removing the elevated structure and getting a new freeway. In Boston, Massachusetts, they're paying $14.4 billion to get rid of their elevated freeway. OK, that project is a little bit more complicated (and unfortunately heavily subsidized by US taxpayers), but there's nothing like good Texas value!
Original index photographs
These two reduced images appeared on the original index. Select either one to return to the matching full gallery scene.
