Relief is coming to one of the most congested commutes in North Texas
It's going to take a long time to complete, but relief is coming to one of the most congested commutes in North Texas.
Tuesday, the Texas Department of Transportation will break ground on a project to eventually give residents in a growing part of Collin County easier access to Highway 75.
Jobe Dodou said he should be home with his family in Princeton instead of filling up with gas and getting back in a traffic mess on Highway 380. It's part of a daily commute to and from work that he's learned to live with.
"A 30-minute commute could last up to an hour some days, " said Dodou. "You just sit and wait and wait and wait."
Ask any driver in the long line of vehicles between McKinney and Princeton, and many will tell you the same thing.
Princeton has doubled in size over the past five years and now considered by the U.S. Census Bureau as the fastest growing city in the nation.
But Highway 380 is still mostly two lanes for traffic to and from DFW.
Soon, the first section of a new highway along the route of Spur 399 will eventually stretch from Highway 75 to Highway 380 just west of Princeton, giving commuters another option.
"The growth in eastern Collin County is huge, and this is something that is desperately needed," said Madison Schein, a TXDOT spokesperson.
The first stretch will be from Highway 75 to Stewart Road in McKinney and will eventually extend six miles to 380.
"I can't wait for it to finish," Dodou said. "Absolutely, that would be awesome."
Collin County leaders said the congestion is not just a hassle for commuters; it also impacts the local economy.
Collin County Commissioner Darrell Hale said the project passed several others on the list of priorities because studies found it was costing people more money.
"There is a cost to congestion, as in traffic every year," said Hale. "About $1,100 to $1,200 per year just from people wasting time sitting in their cars."
While the project is welcome, it will take several years to complete, and during that time, Princeton is expected to double in size.
