20-Year Effort Transforms Skillman Street and I-635 Intersection in Dallas

Retired business executive Susan Morgan led a community-driven campaign to reconstruct the notorious "Bermuda Triangle" intersection.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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After decades of gridlock and safety issues at the Skillman Street and I-635 intersection in the Dallas neighborhood of Lake Highlands, retired business executive Susan Morgan spearheaded a 20-year effort to completely rebuild the interchange. Morgan, drawing on her corporate experience in long-term planning and community engagement, navigated political obstacles and funding challenges to ultimately see the project through to completion.

Why it matters

The Skillman-635 intersection had long been a notorious traffic nightmare, with accidents, poor visibility, and an inability to support economic development in the surrounding area. Morgan's persistence in tackling this complex infrastructure challenge highlights the power of community-driven advocacy to transform a dysfunctional part of a city's transportation network.

The details

When the I-635 freeway was first built, the Skillman Street and Audelia Road intersection was located in a remote, rural area. But as Dallas rapidly grew, the intersection became a major chokepoint, with a confusing "spaghetti-like" layout that drivers struggled to navigate. Despite numerous accidents and the inability to support nearby businesses, the project to rebuild the interchange languished for years until Morgan, a retired Texas Instruments executive, took it on as a personal mission in the early 2000s.

  • In the early 2000s, Morgan began advocating for the Skillman-635 reconstruction project.
  • In 2018, lawmakers initially decided to shelve the project due to a political dispute over toll roads.
  • The rebuilt interchange was finally completed and opened to the public in 2026.

The players

Susan Morgan

A retired business executive who led the 20-year community campaign to reconstruct the Skillman Street and I-635 intersection in Dallas.

Bill Blaydes

A Dallas City Council member who supported Morgan's efforts and helped open doors for her in the local government.

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What they’re saying

“If you're not sitting at your desk staring at the ball, totally bemused, you're not doing your job. You got to start there and then get the juices going, figure out how to creatively fix the problem.”

— Susan Morgan (Advocate Magazine)

“The smartest thing I did was get Susan Morgan to work on that intersection.”

— Bill Blaydes, Dallas City Council member (Advocate Magazine)

What’s next

The rebuilt Skillman Street and I-635 interchange is expected to significantly improve traffic flow and safety in the area, supporting further economic development in the surrounding Lake Highlands neighborhood.

The takeaway

Susan Morgan's two-decade effort to transform the notorious "Bermuda Triangle" intersection demonstrates how a determined community advocate can overcome political and funding obstacles to deliver critical infrastructure improvements. Her story underscores the power of grassroots activism to reshape a city's transportation landscape.