TRANSPORTATION Public hearing provides update on expansion project for US 380
US 380 ALIGNMENT The Texas Department of Transportation presented the most updated US 380 roadwork layout at a public hearing in Frisco on Feb. 23. Several intersections along US 380 have been identified for updates
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Environmental impact studies for widening the 5.9 miles worth of road began in spring 2022 and were presented at the hearing. The environmental impact of the project studied how construction would affect the land surrounding the project. Most of the land directly affected by the widening is not residential. One possible businesses possibly being forced out by a suddenly larger road. “On this project there are no displacements,” Schein said. The threat of being displaced refers only to those who are forced to move because construction will cut directly through a person’s business or home, Schein said. There is still a chance a home or business could be affected by con- struction in smaller ways, such as going over a utility line, but so far the study has not indicated it will, Schein said. Only a handful of Frisco residents came to the hearing, though that turnout was expected by organizers despite a higher showing at a McKin- ney public hearing. “Because we’re staying on alignment, and there were no concern addressed by project consul- tants at the hearing was the possibility of residents and
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While the actual project will require almost 6 miles worth of road work, the designs for the proposed US 380 widening project only took up nine school lunch tables. The Texas Department of Transpor- tation held a public hearing Feb. 23 in the cafeteria at Rock Hill High School in Frisco to discuss
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LOOKING AHEAD The project is still in the planning phase, and construction is anticipated to start after contract bids in 2026.
“THE ACTUAL TURNING DIRT DAY WILL DEPEND ON WHEN YOU GET FULL FUNDING FOR THE PROJECT.” TRAVIS CAMPBELL, TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION DIRECTOR OF TRANSPORTATION PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT
the Frisco-Pros- per portion of a five-project plan to improve US 380. “It’s a regional goal to make US 380 a con- trolled-access high- way from Denton
MAY 2022 Environmental assessment begins
FALL 2022 Finalize design
SUMMER 2023 Right-of-way acquisition begins
2020 2021
2022 2023
2024
2025
2026
to Greenville,” TxDOT Public Information Officer Madison Schein said. For Frisco, the plan is to widen US 380 from four lanes to six from Lake- wood Drive to Teel Parkway—a project that will cut through Collin County and cost approximately $890 million, according to documents provided at the hearing. “[The project] is one section of our overall county line to county line schematic environmental process for [US] 380,” said Travis Campbell, TxDOT’s director of transportation planning and development. Presented as an open house, TxDOT representatives and project consul- tants filled the high school’s cafeteria with design layouts, cost estimates and specific project details.
WINTER 2023 Public hearing
2021-22 Data collection
SUMMER 2022 Refine/design engineering
2026 Contract bids
SOURCE: TEXAS DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION/COMMUNITY IMPACT
displacements on this, we weren’t expecting a huge turnout,” Schein said. One of the main reasons for the expansion is to handle the growing populations of Denton and Collin counties, and the traffic projected to come with it. Frisco alone grew 71% from 2010 to 2020, according to census data. Collin County and other North Texas areas also saw population increases. Frisco resident Noah Weiss said at the meeting that increased traffic on roads would be better solved by
additional tolls on existing roads or by investing in public transportation instead of larger highways. The Feb. 23 meeting was the last public hearing on this portion of the US 380 project and the last opportu- nity for residents to speak directly to TxDOT representatives. TxDOT accepted public comment through its website through March 10. A final decision on the proposal is expected by this summer, Schein said. “The actual turning dirt day will depend on when you get full funding for the project,” Campbell said.
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