Texas Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike marker

Description

In the early 1950s, before the Interstate System of federally-funded freeways was created, tolls were a popular way of financing freeway construction. The Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike was one such toll road that opened in 1957. It ran mostly parallel to what was then US 80, connecting North Texas’s two largest cities. The toll to travel its 30-mile length was fifty cents. It included one service plaza, with a gas station and restaurant, near Arlington.

By 1977, the tolls collected had paid off bonds issued for the road’s construction were paid off. The tolls were removed, and the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) assumed control of the road. It was then incorporated into the route of Interstate 30. Today, few traces of I-30’s heritage as a toll road remain. The only hints to its history are a few somewhat odd interchanges; these were built to accommodate toll booths that are no longer there.

Special blue, five-sided signs pointed travelers to the Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike. These signs feature the name of the turnpike in yellow, with a large, distinctive white “T” in the center. In the background, two lines representing the divided highway’s lanes recede into the background toward the outline of the state of Texas. At the bottom of the sign, a red arrow points the way toward the nearest entrance to the road.

We’ve brought the classic Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike marker back to life with our replica sign. Every detail of this sign is recreated from vintage Texas Turnpike Authority and modern TxDOT materials to ensure its accuracy. It uses both sets of road sign fonts used on American roads; the design incorporates both the modern rounded fonts introduced in the late 1940s and the historic block fonts used prior to that. Don’t miss this chance to add a vintage sign to your collection without paying the high prices of the collector’s market!

Our Dallas-Fort Worth Turnpike sign is flat-printed on quality 14 gauge steel. Our printing process ensures that your replica sign will be fit to serve, either indoors or outdoors, for years to come. We’ve made it available in sizes ranging from 12 in. × 11¼ in. up to a truly Texas-sized 36 in. × 33¾ in. Our version of this sign is non-reflective. We’d be happy to make a version with the arrow pointing in a different direction, or in a different size. We can even replicate other classic highway signs, from Texas or elsewhere. Placing a custom order is easy; just contact Jake and we’ll do the rest!