Commerce Street between East Ninth and East 14th streets is off-limits until Nov. 1. The closure, approved by the City Council, is to facilitate a makeover that includes storm drains, sewer lines, and a straightening act worthy of a downtown roadway. The need to temporarily seal off the area is a concession we'll have to live with, as the city aims to improve traffic flow and infrastructure.
Local businesses aren't left in the lurch, though. They will continue to have access, and the lifeline for deliveries and construction at the Fort Worth Convention Center will run through East 12th Street. It's a logistics dance, to be choreographed carefully to keep commerce flowing while Commerce Street gets its much-needed facelift. As revealed by the City of Fort Worth, the current configuration of the roadway is a legacy of the early 80s construction that's set to be undone.
The bustling hub of the Fort Worth Convention Center (FWCC) will see more than just a straightened street. The project includes the demolition of an annex to ramp up loading docks, a boost in networking space complete with a coffee bar, and a prep site for a future convention hotel. Fans of the asphalt grid will be pleased to know the Commerce Street parking garage remains open at the corner with 14th Street during construction, ensuring that parking woes are kept at bay.
Milestones for the project seem to loom with anticipation, starting with the southeast corner entrance expected to grace the scene by August 2025. Come summer, the revamped loading docks should stand ready for the buzz of trucks and trades. And by the year's end, phase one aims to sign off as complete – a chronicle of progress in a city not afraid to look back for a moment, to leap forward more efficiently.
