The approach Kari Willis sees it, folks ditch large cities for good purpose. She traded Southern California for Prosper, a metropolis located some 40 miles north of Dallas. As many packed their baggage and headed to what are shortly turning into suburbs, Prosper’s inhabitants has greater than tripled to only over 31,000 since 2010.
“You moved away from the highways, you moved away from the hubbub of the city,” Willis explained. “Personally, I moved from Southern California here because I wanted to get away from that.”
That may change if plans to vastly broaden U.S. Highway 380 develop into a actuality, and that is why Willis helped arrange the “Protect Prosper Pep Rally” on April 14.
It was an honest turnout at Prosper’s Silo Park that night. People had been nonetheless exhibiting up a half hour after the occasion formally began, and nearly the whole hearth division was there. They’d come out to voice their opposition to the Texas Department of Transportation’s present possibility B plan for what’s to be the brand new 380.
Two hearth vehicles had been parked bordering the parking zone and the third, named “Tha Dawg House,” was parked simply outdoors the fence across the gathering space. Food vehicles and organizers, residents and enterprise house owners, all confirmed as much as what had been dubbed the “Protect Prosper Pep Rally.” They even hired a DJ and created a curated playlist with songs like AC/DC’s “Highway to Hell” or Limp Bizkit’s “My Way or the Highway.”
But Texas is growing, and TxDOT recognizes the need for infrastructure growth ahead of the population increase. Keep It Moving Dallas, a website run by TxDOT to inform residents of projects like this, has detailed explanations of the plans and why they are needed.
According to the site, “Population growth within the central portion of Collin County has caused increases in current and forecasted traffic volumes that exceed the capacity of US 380. … The purpose of the proposed action is to manage congestion, improve east-west mobility, and improve safety.”
Several options for the new eight-lane freeway with frontage roads have been proposed that span from New Hope across McKinney and end on Coit Road.
These options are being considered in sections or “focus areas.” Focus area two, the middle section spanning from CR 161/Ridge Road to SH 5 has only one option, E. Focus area three spans from SH 5 to FM 1827 has two options, either C or D.
Focus area one, the western-most section which spans from Coit Road to CR 161/Ridge Road, also has two options, either A or B. Option B would cut through a corner of Prosper while option A would not, and the residents of Prosper know which one they think is best.
It’s not just traffic that Prosper residents are worried about either, Willis argued. There are other consequences when bringing in a large highway, they worry. “All the things that come with a high traffic, high volume highway … it’s the noise, it’s the pollution, it’s crime,” she said. “And it’s going to be free, so we know what happens, right? It’s extremely disappointing.”
But TxDOT doesn’t take new construction projects without getting detailed reports of how it will affect surrounding areas. They have a lengthy process for determining the best solutions for everyone who could be affected by new highways including looking at environmental impact reports, historical preservation sites and taking comments from residents.
The online comment period for residents in the areas that would surround the proposed highway originally ended on April 6, but the deadline was extended to April 21, which spurred the Prosper organizers to hold the pep rally.
Gretchen Darby, owner of Gretchen Darby Consulting in Prosper and another rally organizer, wanted to make sure the town was aware of what option B was and how to provide their comments to TxDOT.
Darby said she spoke to people, including some on the neighborhood app Next Door, and they either weren’t aware of the proposition or thought it had already been settled, so when the deadline was extended she wanted to get the word out with the event.
“You moved away from the highways, you moved away from the hubbub of the town.” – Kari Willis, Prosper resident
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Prosper council member Marcus Ray additionally attended the pep rally and expressed concern concerning the freeway and his assist for possibility A.
“Segment A is logical, it does not impede and take out neighborhoods that are under construction,” Ray mentioned. “My hope is that we will inspire the community to rise up, go and submit their opposition comments by the 21st, and really make their voice heard.”
The picnic tables all had QR codes on the highest that took residents on to the TxDOT remark web site so they might submit their opinions on the pep rally.
“Apparently they say they’re reading every single one, so that’s important to us,” Darby mentioned.
Toney Parker, proprietor of 1 Stop IT Solutions and board member of the Prosper chamber of commerce was additionally on the pep rally towards possibility B. “If they extend that leg across that corner, they’re literally cutting out a major percentage of the real estate inside of our town,” Parker mentioned. “Go down to Dallas and look at the surrounding areas around I-35 and where the junctions and the roadways are. That’s what our future will look like.”
The residents of Prosper are involved about what’s going to occur to their city, their companies and property values, and all the opposite issues that include a serious freeway chopping throughout their land. But whereas Prosper desires to keep away from possibility B, McKinney helps it.
McKinney Mayor George Fuller mentioned the freeway that will reduce by means of Prosper would really be a industrial boon for the city, “a catalyst for tremendous commercial development.”
Fuller cited freeway results Plano, Frisco and different elements of McKinney from Central Expressway and the Dallas North Tollway, arguing that nothing detrimental has occurred. “It’s actually spurred development,” Fuller mentioned. “As a matter of fact, Frisco arguably has become a commercial sales tax generating powerhouse.”
McKinney City Manager Paul Grimes additionally factors out that possibility B’s bypass by means of Prosper continues to be principally in McKinney.
“Either option A, it’s all in McKinney, 100%, or option B and 90%,” Grimes mentioned. “Just a small little corner would be Prosper; the rest of it is in McKinney.”
The metropolis of McKinney additionally factors to information from TxDOT concerning the professionals and cons of every possibility, citing a number of causes of their on-line marketing campaign for why possibility B is healthier. They say possibility B saves taxpayer cash, impacts 57% fewer pure wetlands and wildlife and displaces 73% fewer residents and companies.
“[Option B] is $100 million dollars cheaper,” mentioned Grimes. “What you see here is pretty overwhelming evidence that option B is the best option. And you know, just look at it on a map … [option A is] just a much more inefficient design, plus it’s 14 miles longer, but that’s why it’s more expensive.”
“We recognize that this is controversial.” – Paul Grimes, McKinney metropolis supervisor
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There was at one level a 3rd possibility, possibility F, thought of by TxDOT and would have both constructed a brand new freeway on the prevailing 380 roadway or improved it sufficient to accommodate the brand new site visitors. This was the popular possibility of these in Prosper, who touted on the pep rally to “Keep 380 on 380!”
It has since been eliminated as a possible possibility as a result of it might displace too many companies, greater than 30 houses, have an effect on parks and services and separate neighborhoods.
Even although Prosper and McKinney would really like completely different outcomes for the constructing of this freeway, they’re each adamant that they don’t want any ill-will to their neighbor.
“We recognize that this is controversial,” Grimes mentioned. “We have a very good working relationship with our counterparts in Prosper, we just agree to disagree on this particular issue.”
“We don’t want to be negative,” Darby mentioned, noting that Prosper doesn’t have an issue with the town of McKinney or TxDOT, simply with possibility B.
Mayor Fuller added that whereas he has a accountability to his constituents, the larger accountability is that they make the fitting choices for 2040 and 2050.
“Whatever we do today is the solution that will live in perpetuity, and it better not be based on emotions of a group of teachers or students or kids or my residents or anybody,” Fuller mentioned. “We need to all realize we’re making a decision for the future.”