President George Bush Turnpike facts for kids

Quick facts for kids [[File:|x70px|alt= marker]]
Route information
Maintained by NTTA (main lanes) and TxDOT (frontage roads)
Length	54.9 mi (88.4 km)
Existed	1998–present
Component highways	SH 161 Toll from Irving to Grand Prairie
Major junctions
From	I-20 in Grand Prairie
	I-30 in Grand Prairie SH 183 in Irving SH 114 in Irving I-635 in Irving I-35E / US 77 in Carrollton Dallas North Tollway in Dallas US 75 in Richardson SH 78 in Garland SH 66 in Rowlett
To	I-30 in Garland
Highway system
Highways in Texas Interstate • U.S. • TX (Loops – Spurs – Rec – FM) ← SH 160 SH 161 SH 162 → ← SH 189 SH 190 SH 191 →

The President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT) is a long toll road in Texas, about 52 miles (84 km) long. It goes through the northern, northeastern, and western parts of the Dallas, Texas area, forming a big loop. This road is named after George H. W. Bush, who was the 41st President of the United States.

At its western end near Irving, a part of the road called State Highway 161 (SH 161) continues southwest to Interstate 20 (I-20) in Grand Prairie. Some parts of the road have free "frontage roads" next to the main toll lanes. These frontage roads are called State Highway 190 (SH 190) in some areas, like Carrollton and Garland. You'll mostly see "Bush Turnpike" signs, but sometimes the SH 190 signs will say "frontage road only."

The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) manages the turnpike. They make sure it's kept in good shape. This big road goes through three Texas counties: Dallas, Collin, and Denton. It also passes through nine different cities around Dallas, including Rowlett, Garland, Richardson, and Plano.

When the PGBT first opened, you could pay with cash at toll booths or use an electronic tag called a TollTag. But since July 1, 2009, the turnpike became the first in the U.S. to go "all-electronic." This means there are no more cash booths! Instead, cameras read your license plate, and you get a bill in the mail (called "ZipCash"). Using ZipCash costs a bit more than using a TollTag.

Building the Bush Turnpike

Early Plans for the Road

The idea for a big outer loop road around Dallas County first came up in 1957. By 1964, people started planning it as a freeway, which is a road with no traffic lights where cars can go fast. In 1969, the full loop was added to the state highway system as Loop 9.

This early plan for Loop 9 would have gone through different areas than the current turnpike. For example, it would have stayed only in Dallas County, even though the current turnpike goes into Denton and Tarrant Counties. Some cities, like Richardson, didn't want the road to divide their town. So, Richardson and Plano worked together to get land a bit further north, which is where the turnpike is now.

How the Road Got Its Name and Numbers

In 1977, the Loop 9 plan was changed. The western and northern parts of the road were split into two new names: State Highway 161 and State Highway 190. Over the years, these road numbers were adjusted as plans changed.

Construction on the smaller "service roads" (which are like the frontage roads today) began in 1988. A big, tall stack interchange (a complex set of ramps connecting highways) was built at U.S. Highway 75 in Richardson in 1990. This interchange sat empty for several years, waiting for the main turnpike to be built.

In 1995, new laws helped get money for the road by making it a "toll road." This meant drivers would pay to use it, which helped fund the construction. The main lanes of the turnpike were then built as a tollway, and the SH 190 name was kept for the frontage roads.

Major Events on the Turnpike

In December 2015, a very strong tornado hit the PGBT and the I-30 interchange. This caused a lot of damage and impacted many vehicles on the bridges.

Sections of the Turnpike

This is a stack interchange where the PGBT (the road on top) crosses over Central Expressway (the road below).

The President George Bush Turnpike was built in several parts, or "segments," over many years. Here's how it opened:

• Segment I (North Dallas): This part opened in 1998 and 1999. It includes the connections to the Dallas North Tollway and U.S. Highway 75 (also known as Central Expressway).
• Segment II (Garland/Richardson): This section opened in 2000.
• Segment III (Carrollton): This part opened in July 2001.
• Segment IV ("PGBT Superconnector"): This section connects I-35E to the I-635 airport extension. It's about 5.2 miles (8.4 km) long and cost a lot to build because it goes through a wetland area and needed many bridges. It opened in October 2005.
• Segment V (Irving): This 3.9-mile (6.3 km) section connects to the SH 161 freeway. It opened in December 2001. Building this part was tricky because of unstable soil.
• Segment VI ("Western Extension", Irving/Grand Prairie): This is a long extension, about 11.5 miles (18.5 km), going south from SH-183 to I-20 in Grand Prairie. Parts of it opened in 2009 and 2012.
• Segment VII ("Eastern Extension", Garland/Sachse/Rowlett): This 9.9-mile (15.9 km) extension goes from SH-78 to I-30. It cost over $1 billion and includes a 1-mile (1.6 km) bridge over Lake Ray Hubbard. It opened in December 2011.

Future Plans for the Turnpike

East Branch Extension

There are plans for another part of the PGBT called the "East Branch" extension. This new section would start near Lake Ray Hubbard and go south to I-20 in Mesquite. It's still in the planning stages, and construction isn't expected to start until around 2026.

A Bigger Outer Loop

Looking even further ahead, there's an idea for a much bigger "outer loop" road that would go all the way around the entire Dallas-Fort Worth area. The PGBT East Branch plans are being coordinated with this larger loop idea. The first part of this big outer loop might be called Loop 9 and could be built in the southern Dallas County area.

Images for kids

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  A turnoff to the George Bush Turnpike in Irving, Texas from SH 183