TxDOT recommendation to bypass US 380 brings ‘relief’ for some

The Texas Department of Transportation is looking to hear from the public about proposed plans to ease congestion on US 380 in Collin County.

Years of debate and the final draft environmental impact study led TxDOT to a final recommendation for the proposed 8-lane freeway. The final draft study will be discussed at scheduled public meetings in February.

According to TxDOT, the proposed 16-mile “alternate blue” plan it recommends will start at a new location at Coit Road and US 380 and join existing US 380 near 1827 Farm-to-Market Road, just east of the McKinney city limits. .

“Our goal is to stay at the current level as long as possible, and therefore this preferred alternative allows us to do this,” said TxDOT spokeswoman Madison Shane. “We offer an eight-lane freeway. This means that there are no traffic lights on the highway. There are (are) access roads. There are ins and outs and it really raises a new standard.”

PUBLIC DISCUSSION

For many years the local equestrian therapy center ManeGait Therapeutic Riding opposed proposals that would put their property in the path of the freeway.

“We have been waiting for this decision since 2018. We were waiting to see if TxDOT was going to build a 380 bypass next to our property, which would force us to move,” said Patricia Nelson, chief executive of ManeGait, which serves veterans and people with special needs. “We won’t be able to provide services here.”

“We have 150 riders a week who come and participate in our program, which has about 300 volunteers on site every week. So now we have 1,500 active volunteers with us,” Nelson added.

Nelson says it was “just a huge sigh of relief, joy and high fives” after the organization found out TxDOT’s final offer was not about their property.

“TxDOT informed us that they received more feedback from MainGait supporters than for any other project,” Nelson said.

“We received thousands of feedback from the public,” Shane said. “And that’s exactly what you want from public participation. You want people to tell us what they think.”

PUBLIC MEETINGS

TxDOT reports that public meetings will take place on February 16 and 21.

“We will have our engineers who can explain specific problems (of people) and tell you what this project will look like,” Shane said.

“After that, they have a 30-day comment period before a final decision is made,” said Nelson, who plans to attend the Feb. 16 meeting. “So we’re still a little on the edge of our seats, but now we’re feeling a lot better.”

Guests will be able to come and go during any of the public gatherings.

The first in-person hearing is scheduled for February 16 from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm in the Central Jury Room of the Collin County Courthouse, located at 2100 Bloomdale Road, McKinney.

There will also be a virtual meeting on February 16th for those unable to attend in person. Click here to access this meeting.

The second meeting will be held from 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm on February 21 at the gymnasium of Rhea’s Mill Baptist Church, located at 5733 N. Custer Road in McKinney.

For consideration of the draft environmental impact study, Click here.

Content Source

Dallas Press News – Latest News:
Dallas Local News || Fort Worth Local News | Texas State News || Crime and Safety News || National news || Business News || Health News

texasstandard.news contributed to this report.

Related Articles

Back to top button