Kessler drew up his plan to solve many of the city's problems, including the uncontrollable flooding of the Trinity River, the dangerous railroad crossings, and narrow, crooked downtown streets, and the construction of a Central Boulevard.
[2] The plan was not implemented at the time because it was not believed to be practical, but it became increasingly clear that changes were needed.
Kessler returned in 1918 to act as consulting engineer for the Dallas Property Owners' Association and in 1919 began working for the Metropolitan Development Association of the Dallas Chamber of Commerce.
Although Kessler died in Indianapolis, Indiana, March 20, 1923, the Trinity River was improved and the levee system was completed in the 1930s.
The Central Expressway was first opened to traffic in 1950, decades after the Kessler Plan called for its construction.