The crews are working to pave a section of the toll road near the Spring Creek Parkway exit in Plano. (Courtesy of NTTA)
The $ 200 million expansion of the Sam Rayburn Tollway and its intersections is due to be completed in December, according to officials from the North Texas Tollway Authority.
“We’re coming to the home straight,” said NTTA spokesman Michael Rey. “We are on schedule [and] in budget. Everything is going as planned. “
The toll road expansion project began in January 2019. It adds a fourth lane in both directions from Denton Tap Road in Coppell to US 75 in McKinney.
In Plano, a new exit is to be added between the Dallas North Tollway and Preston Road to separate traffic for motorists exiting the Sam Rayburn Tollway and those entering the Dallas North Tollway.
“[The ramp] will flow into Preston a bit differently than it does now and will help make this intersection a little smoother, ”Rey said, adding that road widening on the section of the toll road across Parkwood Boulevard is still in progress.
While construction has been completed in some sections along the corridor, NTTA officials said the additional lanes will remain closed until the entire project is completed to avoid potential safety hazards.
The project aims to improve regional mobility as the estimated population of North Texas is estimated from 7.5 million to over 11 million in the coming decades.
“It was obvious to anyone who has traveled the world [tollway] in the past few years… traffic has definitely increased, ”Rey said. “We started to see traffic jams, which triggered the planning and … the construction of this additional lane.”
Part of the expansion involved adding lanes to existing bridges at multiple intersections. That process includes demolition work and the addition of foundations, pillars, beams and a bridge deck, Rey said.
Matt Tilke, Plano’s chief transportation engineer, said the project is important to motorists across north Texas.
“We expect significantly improved mobility and security along this corridor with improved access to businesses next to it,” he said.
The toll road separates Plano and Frisco. Tilke said this has helped both cities keep traffic jams on and off the toll road to a minimum.
“It’s getting more intuitive. It’s very helpful, ”said Tilke.
The project is funded by the NTTA’s Capital Improvement Fund, which consists of toll revenues available after payment of the operation, debt service and maintenance costs of the reserves.
Collin County commissioner Duncan Webb said projects to expand transportation infrastructure are critical as the region experiences unprecedented growth.
“We estimate that between 40 and 80 people move to Collin County every day. … That also means that we probably have 20 new cars on our roads every day, ”he said.
As more employees started working from home, rush hour traffic jams decreased significantly, Webb said. Traffic is now falling 7-10% in some areas of the Metroplex compared to pre-pandemic levels, he added.
As part of its long-term mobility plan for the area, the North Central Texas Government Council requires that companies consider dedicating at least one day per week to remote work.
“It cannot be prescribed; it’s just a goal, ”said Webb. “Hope is [remote work] … will enable us to continue to grow without overloading other large metropolitan areas. “
These growth projections are reflected in NTTA’s budget, which estimates total revenue between fiscal years 2020-2024 at $ 5.5 billion. In fiscal 2021, toll revenue is estimated at $ 971 million.
As part of a biennial toll rate plan approved by the board of directors, NTTA announced earlier this year a $ 0.01 increase in the toll rate from $ 0.19 to $ 0.20 per mile, which will be released on Jan. July began.
According to NTTA officials, the Sam Rayburn Tollway Extension Project is not expected to contribute to increased tolls.
Rey said one benefit of the project was that construction was in the middle of the freeway, which reduced the impact on drivers.
“We never want to say that we have no influence; We understand that building is always like this, ”he said. “But it certainly had minimal impact.”
The road paving and maintenance work on the entire toll road and its priority road is still in progress. NTTA is also working on banding and improving the landscaping along the corridor.
Further information and updates on the project can be found at www.ntta.org.
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