US 380 east of the Dallas North Tollway is undergoing construction to widen the roadway to accommodate the area’s increased population growth, according to a Texas Department of Transportation official.

“This area has been subject to enormous population growth and development, and added capacity on this roadway is necessary to address congestion, improve safety and allow for more fluid traffic flow through this area,” TxDOT spokesperson Michelle Releford said.

Some of the development planned for the area includes a Cinemark movie theater, Wal-Mart Supercenter, restaurants and more retail buildings.

The project will be completed in two phases. The first phase of construction will widen the highway from the existing four-lane highway to six lanes from Lovers Lane in Prosper to Custer Road. This phase is about 35 percent complete.

The second phase will widen US 380 from CR 26 to Lovers Lane to create a freeway section. This phase is expected to begin in October, Releford said.

“The [entire 2.2-mile project] will include two-lane frontage roads and take about 30 months to complete,” she said.

According to plans, US 380 will go over the roadway at Preston Road and the DNT with a frontage road box in both cases.

A frontage road box is an arrangement of frontage roads intersecting under the overpass/interchange, Releford said. The intersections have traffic signals, or at least stop signs to control traffic. The overpass allows traffic to move over the interchange without having to stop.

During this time there will be lane closures, and when beams are being placed for bridge construction there may be a complete or partial closure of the highway and/or the roadway it intersects with, Releford said.

Phase I will cost $19.6 million, and Phase II will cost $58 million. Funding for the project comes from the city of Frisco and TxDOT.

City officials in Frisco and Prosper said they are working with TxDOT for the best improvement plan possible to help alleviate congestion on US 380.