You won’t have to worry about closed streets during Super Bowl week, but increased traffic may result in some headaches as you drive around town.

The city has no plans to close any streets within the city limits, with the one exception of Houston Street in downtown Fort Worth, said Bill Verkest, director of transportation and public works.

At this time, the city does not anticipate a need to close any other streets, but Verkest said he will not close any roads for longer than it takes the Steelers and their accompanying personnel to travel across a road in question on their route from the Omni Hotel, where they will be staying while in town, to TCU, where they will be practicing at the school’s indoor practice facility.

Verkest said any temporary closures would be brief and closed streets would be reopened as soon as possible.
“Temporary closures of up to 10 days are within my approval authority. Over 10 days has to go to city council,” Verkest said. “I don’t anticipate any closures other than Houston Street to be more than 10 days. And I don’t even think Houston Street will be 10 days.”

But 109 residents may face other roadblocks in the form of traffic. Verkest said the city anticipates increased traffic during the week leading up to the Super Bowl.
“I think we have to say that we anticipate an increase in traffic in any area of the city that is either hosting a super bowl event or is in some way shape or from responding to a request relative to the Super Bowl,” Verkest said.

He said the increased traffic would most likely align with traffic throughout the rest of the city.

“I can’t say 76109 specifically would be getting any more than anybody else, we know there’s going to be traffic increases in town,” Verkest said. “There are any number of events that are going to happen throughout the city and wherever those events occur, that will draw traffic to those events. How much that traffic is I have no idea, but I know it’ll be more than we typically see.”

The city will not add to the increased traffic problem unless necessary and no closures have currently been anticipated to last more than 10 days.
Verkest did advise that anyone planning to visit the downtown area during that week should avoid Houston Street to avoid traffic.