Travel with us as we cruise along one of Texas’s most vital east-west corridors—Interstate 30—from the eastern suburbs of Dallas all the way into the heart of Fort Worth. Spanning nearly 70 miles, this route not only connects two of the largest cities in the state, but also threads through bustling suburbs, past iconic landmarks, and over historic rivers, offering a rich slice of North Texas along the way.
Our journey begins on the eastern edge of the Dallas metro area in Rockwall, just before we cross the shimmering expanse of Lake Ray Hubbard. The wide-open view across the lake is one of the more scenic moments on I-30’s eastern approach, and it doesn’t take long before we transition from lakefront to urban edge. As we cross into Garland, we hit the first of several major interchanges—this one with the President George Bush Turnpike, a major loop around Dallas that makes it easy to connect to I-635 or head toward Plano and other northern suburbs.
From Garland, the route leads us into Mesquite, known for its rodeo roots and suburban sprawl. Here, we encounter a towering multi-level interchange with I-635, commonly referred to as a “Texas Stack.” It’s a visual statement that you’re entering serious city territory. Just a few miles further west, we enter Dallas proper, passing the junction with U.S. Route 80 and continuing toward downtown.
As we approach the core of the city, Interstate 30 weaves through a labyrinth of highways. Just east of downtown Dallas, the highway merges into an impressive stack interchange involving I-45, U.S. 75, and the unsigned I-345. It’s a dense knot of urban freeways, and it marks the gateway to downtown. Rather than running through the center of Dallas, I-30 curves to the south, providing a fast-moving corridor through the urban landscape. Just before we leave the skyline behind, we pass under I-35E—another key north-south artery—and cross the Trinity River, an iconic waterway that has shaped Dallas’s history and development.
From this point west, I-30 is known as the Tom Landry Freeway, named for the legendary Dallas Cowboys coach. The freeway heads through Oak Cliff and West Dallas before exiting the city and entering Grand Prairie. Along the way, we intersect the President George Bush Turnpike again—this time on its western loop—as the route pushes toward Arlington.
Grand Prairie and Arlington form the heart of the Metroplex, and I-30 is the spine that ties them together. As we move through Arlington, travelers will find themselves within reach of some of the region’s biggest attractions. Exit ramps here lead to Six Flags Over Texas, AT&T Stadium (home of the Cowboys), Globe Life Field (home of the Texas Rangers), and Texas Live!, a bustling dining and entertainment district. If you’re passing through on game day or in the summer, expect a little extra traffic, but the energy in this corridor is palpable.
Leaving Arlington, I-30 briefly dips into a more natural setting as it crosses Village Creek, then we quickly enter Fort Worth on what’s now designated as the East Freeway. As the city skyline rises, we reach the massive stack interchange with Interstate 820, marking the outer belt of Fort Worth. From here, it’s a straight shot into downtown, crossing U.S. 287 just before crossing I-35W.
Downtown Fort Worth offers a dramatically different vibe than Dallas—more Western flair, fewer skyscrapers, and a bit more breathing room. As we pass the heart of downtown, I-30 spawns the Chisholm Trail Parkway, a relatively new toll road that heads southwest toward the growing suburbs. After that interchange, the highway straightens out one final time to head west.
Just west of Fort Worth, I-30 reaches its western terminus at the junction with Interstate 20, a major east-west corridor stretching from Texas to South Carolina. From Rockwall to Fort Worth, this segment of I-30 serves not just as a transportation corridor, but as a showcase of what makes the DFW Metroplex tick—from its urban density to its suburban culture to its landmark-rich midsection.
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