During a May 6 meeting Texas Department of Transportation officials presented this recommended alignment to the public.

Collin County residents finally have an answer about solutions to relieve congestion on US 380.

Texas Department of Transportation officials are recommending a bypass for US 380 from the Denton County line to Hunt County line, according to details released at a meeting May 6 in McKinney. TxDOT’s preferred alignment is a combination of its previous options, which were labeled in earlier plans as Red A, Red D and Green B.

This preferred alignment will start in Prosper along US 380’s current alignment then run north between

Ridge Road and Stonebridge Drive in McKinney, avoiding the Tucker Hill neighborhood. The alignment then continues east along Bloomdale Road, moves slightly north and connects with US 75 near Laud Howell Parkway. It reconnects with US 380 at Airport Drive. The alignment also connects US 380 to SH 121 west of the McKinney National Airport. The alignment also runs south of New Hope, north of Princeton and south of Farmersville.

Talk about ways to alleviate traffic congestion on US 380 began in

April

2018 when TxDOT presented five proposed alignments for the roadway. Those were narrowed to two in

October

. In March, residents learned about

two new proposed bypass segments being considered for US 380 in Collin County.

TxDOT’s recommended alignment is estimated to cost $2.597 billion, according to documents presented during the May meeting.

This alignment will impact or displace 74 businesses and 90 residential properties. Roughly 220 acres of planned future development and 655 acres of environmental, watershed and park land will be impacted, according to TxDOT.

This alignment is recommended because the red alignments offer the best east-west mobility in central Collin County, according to the presentation.

However, the city of McKinney is hoping TxDOT considers other alignments. The city sent a teal alignment to the North Central Texas Council of Governments

April 24

that runs north of the current US 380 alignment near TxDOT’s proposed red alignment, connecting to the current US 380 east of Farmersville and extending the roadway south of US 380 and east of the McKinney National Airport.

Collin County Commissioners are expected to discuss the US 380 alignment during a meeting

May 7

. During the meeting, commissioners will consider a resolution supporting the development of US 380 as a limited-access roadway along the current alignment, or TxDOT’s green alignment.

Construction on the nearly 33-mile roadway will not begin for another six to 10 years. The project could take 20 years to complete, according to TxDOT officials.

Prior to dirt turning, TxDOT will divide the road into independent projects and prioritize them. Then, an environmental study and design schematics will be done.

The environmental study looks at historic places, cemeteries and wetlands that might be affected by the alignment, TxDOT Public Information Officer Ryan LaFontaine said.

During the environmental study residents will be invited to several open houses and public meetings. The alignment presented May 6 may also slightly shift during the study, LaFontaine said.

The environmental study is expected to take two to four years to complete, LaFontaine said in an email.

Right of way acquisitions will take place during the environmental study, according to LaFontaine. He said right of way acquisitions and funding will take three to five years to complete.

The average right of way width will be between 330-350 feet along the alignment, according to the presentation. Some exceptions will be made around major intersections where more right of way is needed for ramps.

Once the study is complete, a final design, construction plans and cost estimates will be determined.

TxDOT will host additional meetings

from 6-8 p.m. May 7 at Princeton High School, 1000 E. Princeton Drive, Princeton, and from 6-8 p.m. May 9 at Lorene Rogers Middle School, 1001 Coit Road, Prosper. All meetings will be held in an open house format, with a presentation starting at 6 p.m., according to a

news release

. The same information will be given at all three meetings.

More information about the roadway can be found in

Community Impact Newspaper

’s previous coverage

here

.

Citizen comments can be submitted online at www.surveymonkey.com/r/us380feasibilitystudy until May 24.Editor's note: This article has been updated with more information about potential impacts to businesses and residential properties. The article has also been updated to include clarification about where the bypass will connect with US 75. The Texas Department of Transportation has also clarified its information and will still consider other alignment options.