Nearly 60% of Celina residents work outside of the city, and the Dallas North Tollway expansion will bring them greater mobility, Celina Mayor Ryan Tubbs said. As Prosper and Celina see population growth, they also need more lanes to move people around. Prosper is expected to peak at 72,000 residents in the next two decades. Celina can reach 378,000 in the same time, U.S. Census data shows.
“It’s a big investment in Celina’s future on how we view regional mobility,” Tubbs said.
The overview
The North Texas Tollway Authority’s board of directors approved a construction contract with Sinacola in December for the expansion project, which is budgeted at about $460 million. The project will extend the Dallas North Tollway main lanes about 6 miles north from US 380 to FM 428 in Celina.
Media Relations Manager Michael Rey said this project is part of the NTTA’s effort to improve traveling conditions for its customers. As the population continues to grow north of US 380, the extension will provide a convenient route for people to travel, he said.
When the project finishes, it’s going to drastically improve traffic at intersections along the tollway, Prosper’s Engineering Services Director Hulon Webb said. Overpasses will be constructed at:
- First Street
- Prosper Trail
- Frontier Parkway
“I was in Frisco when they were expanding north of [SH] 121, so this feels just like deja vu here,” he said. “It’ll be a
game-changer.”
Drivers will probably experience lane closures throughout the project similar to when DNT over US 380 was under construction between 2020 and 2023, Webb said. Prosper officials will work with NTTA to minimize lane closures during construction, he said.
“There’s still just a lot of cars, and going down to one lane for a limited period of time is going to have an impact on traffic,” he said.
The context
Officials have not finalized plans for development along the tollway.
Prosper officials want to maintain a small-town feel, said Mary Ann Moon, Prosper Economic Development Corporation executive director.
In Celina, Tubbs said he would like to see commercial and mixed-use office space through the corridor similar to Frisco. Celina Methodist Hospital will be the first major development along the new tollway at the corner of Dallas Parkway and FM 428 when it opens in early 2025.
What they're saying
“As Celina gets more and more on the map regionally, [Dallas North Tollway] will definitely provide quicker access," Tubbs said.
“It is a great opportunity for development and the generation for sales tax revenue, but we want to make sure it fits with the vision of the community," Moon said.
Looking ahead
A construction start date has not been determined yet for the project but it is slated to start this spring, Rey said. When the project gets underway, commuters can track progress and road closures via the NTTA’s website.
- February 2020: DNT construction starts on the US 380 overpass
- March 2023: Overpass opens
- December 2023: Dallas North Tollway awards contracts for DNT extension from US 380 to FM 428
- Spring 2024: Construction to start on main lanes extension
- 2027: Design of extension from FM 428 to Grayson County line expected to start
- 2028: Extension to FM 428 scheduled to open
