Town Receives Transportation Financial Relief

By Chris Roark, Staff Writer
(Created: Tuesday, September 2, 2008 6:58 PM CDT)


Road improvements and expansions in Flower Mound will likely come sooner than later.

With the Regional Transportation Council’s recent approval of the new Regional Toll Revenue Project Plan, about $105 million will help fund eight road projects in the town.

The money is a result of North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) in 2007 winning the rights to design, construct, operate and maintain Texas 121 in Denton, Dallas and Collin counties. As a result, NTTA paid $3.2 billion to the region, and that money is being allocated for local roadway projects.

The State Transportation Commission is expected to approve the list of projects in September, and the funding should be available by January.

“This provides us a solid funding source,” said Kent Collins, assistant town manager. “Without this funding, we’d have to phase these (projects) in over time through other funding sources. Previously, we didn’t have a clear funding source, so these projects would have taken longer.”

That would have extended the growing congestion problem. Instead, key arteries in town would get a boost.

Among the roads expected to be expanded are Flower Mound Road. Under the plan, Flower Mound Road will extend from Skillern Boulevard west and north to FM 1171.

Also in the plan is Phase 4 of Garden Ridge Boulevard’s expansion, which would continue the road south and through the proposed Wilson/Ruff/Carmel tract that will be between Bakersfield and Gerault parks. The area of land is currently undeveloped. The project would also include a bridge over Bakers Branch.

Phase 4 of the Spinks Road expansion would take the road east from the future Garden Ridge Boulevard intersection to connect Duncan Lane and eventually Edmonds Lane.

Gerault/Morriss Road will also receive attention. The plan is for the current median to be reduced and the lanes to expand from four to six.

Four other projects would include roads run by TxDOT. Section 2 of the FM 1171 project would extend the road from Shiloh Road to Hwy. 377, and Section 3 would take it from 377 to Interstate 35W.

Hwy. 377 would see improved roadways through use of concrete.

Paul Stone, chairman of the town’s transportation commission, said improvements on Hwy. 377 are key for future development on the west side of town, such as Canyon Falls.

“Concrete goes a long time without needing repairs,” Stone said. “With us having great concrete roads, and with the water coming and the sewer system coming … now that that’s being done through regional cooperation, this will be a very attractive place. The I-35 West corridor will be a popular place to live and develop.”

FM 407 would also get some improvements.

Stone credits the town’s early planning efforts in securing much of the funds. He said planning for the future in Flower Mound requires connecting to other roads and regional cooperation.

“Flower Mound is very fortunate because of the planning,” Stone said. “So when the funding opportunity came up, we were able to get some of it. Otherwise, we might have to float bonds or make the developers put (the roads) in. I always say … failure to plan is planning to fail.”