International Parkway is a major north–south highway in the
Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex
The Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, officially designated Dallas–Fort Worth–Arlington by the U.S. Office of Management and Budget, is a conurbated metropolitan statistical area in the U.S. state of Texas encompassing 11 counties and anchore ...
. Its main purpose is to provide access to
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport , also known as DFW Airport, is the primary international airport serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the North Texas Region in the U.S. state of Texas.
It is the largest hub for American Air ...
(DFW) from the metropolitan area. Part of the Parkway from its southern end at
State Highway 183 (SH 183, Airport Freeway) and
SH 360 to the South Toll Plaza for DFW Airport is designated as State Highway Spur 97. International Parkway is a ''de facto''
toll road
A toll road, also known as a turnpike or tollway, is a public or private road (almost always a controlled-access highway in the present day) for which a fee (or ''toll'') is assessed for passage. It is a form of road pricing typically implemented ...
, though the toll booths also handle parking fees for the airport.
Route description
The International Parkway starts at an interchange with
SH 183 and
SH 360 southwest of the
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport , also known as DFW Airport, is the primary international airport serving the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex and the North Texas Region in the U.S. state of Texas.
It is the largest hub for American Air ...
. From there it runs eastward on ramps parallel to SH 183 (Airport Freeway) before turning northward as Spur 97. The Spur 97 designation ends on the south side of the airport property before the parkway passes through a toll booth. The parkway runs across the airport property between the various terminal buildings. North of the terminals, the parkway passes through another toll booth before reaching an interchange with
I-635 Interstate 635 may refer to:
* Interstate 635 (Kansas–Missouri), a connector highway between Interstate 35 in Overland Park, Kansas and Interstate 29 in Kansas City, Missouri, signed as the Harry Darby Memorial Highway
* Interstate 635 (Texas)
I ...
,
SH 114, and
SH 121.
History
Spur 97 was designated on May 9, 1940, on a route from SH 77 to Marietta in Cass County as a renumbering of
SH 245. This route was cancelled and became a portion of FM 250 on September 26, 1945. Spur 97 was redesignated on March 31, 1965, on a route from IH 610 and SH 225 to Lawndale Ave in Houston. The route became a portion of SH 225 on April 2, 1969, when it was extended westward, as old SH 225 to SH 35 became part of I-610.
The International Parkway opened to traffic on September 21, 1973;
the current Spur 97 designation dates to July 30, 1974.
Tolls
All vehicles traveling on International Parkway, including those destined for the airport terminals, are required to pay a toll. The tolls operate on a ticket-based system and are payable by cash, credit or debit card, or
TollTag
The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) is an organization that maintains and operates toll roads, bridges, and tunnels in the North Texas area. Functioning as a political subdivision of the State of Texas under Chapter 366 of the Transpor ...
upon exiting. Toll rates mirror the fees for Terminal Parking and are based on time spent between the toll plazas.
The high toll rate for vehicles spending less than 8 minutes on airport property is targeted at commuters using the highway as a shortcut. It was raised from $4 to $6 on October 1, 2019.
The at-grade service roads parallel to International Parkway provide a free alternative for vehicles passing through the airport property. However, they do not provide access to the airport terminals.
Exit list
See also
*
References
{{Toll Roads in Texas
International Parkway
International Parkway is a major north–south highway in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. Its main purpose is to provide access to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) from the metropolitan area. Part of the Parkway from its southern ...
State highway spurs in Texas
Toll roads in Texas
Euless, Texas
Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport