The LBJ Express Project is nearing completion after undergoing a remodel that has caused years of construction and conflict for many nearby businesses. But with construction almost complete, investors now see the area reemerging.

For the last four years, the LBJ Freeway has been inundated with construction for a renovation project building more capacity and adding more mobility to freeway.

“There will be more safety because of the widened shoulders, it’ll add more capacity and then those toll lanes will help people who want to travel quickly through the corridor,” said LBJ Infrastructure Group’s Dia Kuykendall.

Throughout the years, however, construction on the freeway has hurt many nearby businesses, like Tippy’s Thai Café on Preston Road.

“That hurt us a lot because everyone avoided that area and our name wasn’t out there well enough,” said manager Venice Kanjananon.

“It is in a heavily populated area in terms of businesses, in terms of residence, so yes there have been complaints,” said Kuykendall.

Some businesses were so affected by the construction that they were forced to relocate.

“One restaurant’s been here for over 15 years and they closed, some other restaurants shut down,” said Kanjananon.

But with the 2.7 billion dollar revamp almost complete, the LBJ corridor is reemerging as a North Dallas hotspot and the area has experienced increase in business occupancy and investments.

“A lot of people who were thinking about either officing there or developing a property or moving in as a retain tenant or living there were like why would I want to be there and deal with that traffic. Now that it’s all done, that excuse is no longer there, we really think that it’s going to start pushing,” said realtor Nick Cassavechia.

Phase one and phase two of the project are now open. The entire LBJ project is expected to be complete in December of 2015.

For more information on the renovations and for updates on construction and lane closures visit lbjtexpress.com.