On July 25, a ribbon cutting was held for the $22.5 million Windhaven Parkway at Kansas City Southern Railroad project, which elevated a rail crossing and created a four-lane, divided roadway between Cookie Lane to Brown Knight Lane.
“It's one long continuous arterial street in fact ... and it connects so many cities,” said City Engineer David Salmon. “That's why that missing link was so important.”
Why it matters
In addition to creating the new stretch of road, the project makes Windhaven Parkway a continuous thoroughfare stretching from Plano to Flower Mound, though the name of the road changes in different municipalities.
By elevating the Canadian Pacific Kansas City rail line, Salmon said the project also helps to alleviate delays for parents picking up and dropping off at the nearby Independence Elementary School.
“That railroad kind of bisects the Castle Hills area,” Salmon said. “Now, all those people that live on one side of the railroad can get to the schools on this side.”
The details
Sundt Construction was awarded the contract for the project in 2022, according to previous Community Impact reporting. The total scope included construction of:
- An about 1,500-foot extension of Windhaven Parkway from Cookie Lane to Brown Knight Lane
- An approximately 100-foot-long railroad bridge
- Construction and removal of temporary shoofly track
- Permanent track
- A new roadway underpass
- A stormwater lift station
- Utilities
- Other associated structures
“One of the big things is that [the project] provides a parallel route to Business 121,” Salmon said. “[Before], if there was an accident on Business 121 ... there was no way to get around.”
Cody Thorn contributed to this report.
