The Texas Department of Transportation will hold its first public hearing July 18 on the proposed expansion and renovation of FM 1461 through Prosper, Celina and McKinney. The 7.1-mile stretch of road is proposed to be widened from a two-lane rural highway to a four-lane urban highway from Preston Road to Lake Forest Drive then south to CR 123. The expansion will include a 12- and 14-foot-wide shared-use outside travel lane in each direction and sidewalks along either side, according to a TxDOT news release. TxDOT is also proposing a median to accommodate future expansion to a six-lane highway. The needed right of way is projected to be about 172 feet wide, compared to the existing 90-foot-wide ROW. Fifty-eight acres of new ROW will be needed but is not expected to have any residential or nonresidential displacements, according to TxDOT. The project is expected to cost $66 million. Construction is anticipated to begin in summer 2020 and will take two to three years to complete. The July 18 public hearing will be held at Rhea’s Mill Baptist Church, located at 5733 N. Custer Road, McKinney, in an open house format starting at 6 p.m. At 7 p.m., TxDOT will give a presentation on the project. Those who are unable to attend the meeting but wish to weigh in on the project must submit written comments to TxDOT by mail before Aug. 2 in order to be a part of the official meeting record. For more information, visit TxDOT’s website at www.txdot.gov.