Collin County commissioners on May 17 approved the sale of $110.6 million in bonds for work on freeways, thoroughfares, and open spaces and parks.
Funds for these projects come from the county’s 2018 bond program, totaling $750 million. The goal of the 2018 bond program was to improve mobility and prevent congestion as Collin County continues to grow at an “extremely fast” rate, said Clarence Daugherty, county director of engineering, in an email.
Voters approved the package in November 2018 without increasing the county’s debt tax rate, according to the county website.
Proposition A
Proposition A includes bonds that can only be used for freeways, Daugherty said.
A total of $33.6 million was approved for construction of a two-lane service road for the outer loop between Preston Road and US 75. The segment from Preston to Custer roads is already under construction using funding from previous years. The segment from Custer Road to US 75 will use this year’s bonds, and Daugherty said construction should start in late 2022.
Construction should take around 36 months, or until late 2025, Daugherty said.
A total of $20 million was approved to buy land for the future US 380 freeway in McKinney. Collin County will use funds in this bond program to attempt to buy land for the future US 380 freeway in McKinney while the Texas Department of Transportation conducts a federally-required environmental evaluation.
Daugherty anticipates these funds will be spent from 2021 to 2024.
A total of $10 million was approved to buy land for the future US 380 freeway in Princeton and Farmersville. Like the McKinney portion, Daugherty said Collin County will use these bond funds to attempt to buy land for the future US 380 freeway in Princeton and Farmersville while TxDOT conducts its evaluation.
Daugherty anticipates these funds will be spent from 2021 to 2024.
Proposition B
Proposition B includes bonds that can only be used for thoroughfares, Daugherty said.
A total of $25 million was approved for the construction of Park Boulevard along the north side of Wylie between Parker Road and SH 78. No estimated completion date for this project was provided.
A total of $10 million was approved to buy land for a new thoroughfare. The new thoroughfare will be a realignment of FM 546 from the south side of the McKinney National Airport to a connection with US 380 east of Princeton at CR 458. No estimated completion date for this project was provided.
An additional $10 million was allocated to “discretionary projects” under Proposition B, according to county documents.
Proposition C
A total of $2 million was approved to award to various cities and other agencies for parks and open space projects, according to Daugherty.
