City of Lewisville officials, along with Denton County Commissioner Bobbie Mitchell and State Rep. Ron Simmons, R-Carrollton, marked the completion of the Valley Ridge Boulevard extension with a gate-rising ceremony on Oct. 9. The $19 million project, which extends Valley Ridge from Mill Street to College Street, opens to drivers on Oct. 10. Construction on the extension, which began in January 2015, was originally estimated to cost $14.6 million, but delays caused the cost to increase nearly $5 million, according to officials. City officials said the purpose of the 1.6-mile extension is to provide a direct connection between I-35E and SH 121 Business as well as to reduce the amount of cut-through commuter traffic and big-rig truck traffic in Old Town Lewisville. "The traffic reduction makes Old Town Lewisville more pedestrian and bicycle friendly," Lewisville Mayor Rudy Durham said. Initially, the speed limit for the four-lane divided roadway will be set at 30 mph until a speed study can be conducted. Durham said the road will be eventually extended again eastward to connect to Corporate Drive.