The Collin County communities of Celina and Prosper are celebrating the completion of construction on Frontier Parkway. The highway runs in front of Prosper ISD's Children's Health Stadium and connects Dallas Parkway to Preston Road.
"Currently, Celina doesn't have much east-west access. 380, right now, is at a stand-still a lot of the time," Celina Mayor Ron Tubbs said.
The expansion of Frontier Parkway widens the road to four lanes with turn lanes and a center median. The project also included an overpass above railroad tracks.
"People would get stuck there, and for emergency responders, it's critical to have access," Tubbs said.
Before the overpass was built, Tubbs said police and fire would sometimes have to drive two miles south to Highway 380 to get around a train blocking the crossing.
Prosper Mayor David Bristol said the expansion would help the city's growing population keep moving.
"This is exciting for our community because this was a two-lane road, and it had a railroad track running right down the middle of it," he said.
According to the U.S. Census, Collin County is the third fastest-growing county in America, trailing only Maricopa County, Arizona, and Harris County, Texas, which includes Houston. Over the past two years, the Census estimates 44,246 people have moved to Collin County.
"These types of projects are at the top of the list for where our focus is for Prosper," said Mary Ann Moon, executive director of the Prosper Economic Development Corporation.
Moon said Prosper is working to ensure people moving to the area will be able to reach their jobs and activities while ensuring businesses can do business in the town. She said an expanded highway that avoids a railroad crossing can help keep cargo moving.
"I have to hand it to our council. They've stepped out there to have these discussions about where we need to go," Moon said.
She said Prosper and Celina are also showing they are preparing their infrastructure to handle more businesses and residents.
"You have to get ahead of the game," she said. "You have to have that infrastructure in place. In the economic development world, one of our mottos is always, 'Build it and they will come.' We're referring to infrastructure."
Moon said Prosper could reach a total population of 75,000. The town's median household income is $141,000, making it the most affluent community in Collin County.
Prosper has created a citizens engagement committee to keep people involved and talk about the town's growth. Bristol said the committee has helped people get to know each other and maintain a "small-town feel."
He said the widened highway will also help traffic move more smoothly before and after football games at the stadium.
"It's a much safer environment both for our citizens and citizens in Celina," he said.
The Frontier Parkway expansion cost $34.6 million and was paid for by Celina, Prosper, Collin County and the North Central Texas Council of Governments.
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