Relieving the pressure: $136M US 380 project adds overpasses, reduces congestion

The project is part of a broader effort to relieve congestion on US 380 and widen the roadway into a six-to-eight-lane freeway across Denton and Collin County, with construction divided into multiple ongoing segments. The Denton County project stretches from Loop 288 in Denton to the western boundary of Collin County in Prosper.

Grant said the Denton portion was primarily funded through federal gas tax funds managed by TxDOT, with additional support from state dollars.

Denton County Commissioner Ryan Williams, whose precinct includes the western side of Prosper, said the improvements are already helping traffic flow.

“[The overpasses] alleviated a lot of the pressure,” Williams said. “It allows the traffic to flow so much better.”

The local impact

Chuck Ewings, Prosper assistant town manager, said construction on US 380 has caused drivers to look for alternative routes, adding pressure to the town’s infrastructure and roadways.

With the west side of US 380 now widened and overpasses in place, local and county officials are planning improvements to several parallel east-west roadways over the next few years.

Prosper Mayor David Bristol said US 380 will be the “primary conduit” for travel while several roadways, such as First Street and Godwin Parkway, are slated for widening and construction.

“Relieving the pressure [on US 380] while we’re in construction is a major blessing,” Bristol said.

What it means

Town and county officials said they hope these improvements will also ease congestion and reduce accidents along the corridor.

Since 2019, annual daily traffic near the intersection with Gee Road has increased by just over 50%, according to TxDOT data.

Bristol said he hopes the improvement project will also reduce traffic accidents. Crashes in Prosper on US 380 increased by nearly 40% between 2020 and 2022, which is the same year construction began, according to Prosper Police Department data. Although accident reports have declined slightly in recent years, total crashes have remained higher than preconstruction levels.

Williams said some businesses have also struggled due to construction-related traffic and hazards, but he said he hopes they’ll start to see some relief as the project wraps up.

Xin Dong, owner of The Tutoring Center location near US 380 and FM 1385, said she initially avoided driving on US 380 but has grown more optimistic since the overpasses opened.

“I’m just very excited to see all those [overpasses] as a resident and as a business owner right here,” Dong said.

The big picture

Clarence Daugherty, Collin County engineering director, said the rapid population growth across the county has significantly impacted roadway capacity and travel times. Collin County’s population has increased by nearly 22% since 2020, according to U.S. Census Bureau data.

“It’s amazing how much impact this increased growth rate is having on us,” Daugherty said. “The growth pressures have just made us just keep pushing, so now you just can’t move fast enough.”

Looking ahead

While the Denton County portion of US 380 is nearing completion, additional construction is still expected across the corridor in Collin County.

Grant said a start date on the Collin County portion in east Prosper is not available at this time, as TxDOT is still working to identify funding for the project. The total cost to widen and improve US 380 in Collin County is estimated at around $8 billion, Grant said.

“The goal is to have a freeway from county line to county line,” Daugherty said. “Now, it’s a matter of implementing it, which takes time and money.”

Ewings said the town must relocate utilities along US 380 between Coit and Custer roads by June 2028.

He said while the utility relocation should not impact traffic flow, town officials expect the next phase to increase congestion on US 380 again.

“The improvement of [US] 380 is a huge milestone for the town of Prosper, both for our local commute as well as the regional commute,” Bristol said. “Little incremental improvements eventually will get us to where we need to be.”