by PegNews wire

The lane openings are occurring two and a half months ahead of schedule.

The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) opened one main lane in each direction of State Highway (SH) 121 on Saturday, June 14, alleviating traffic congestion on the service roads near Preston Road in Collin County.

The lane openings are occurring two and a half months ahead of schedule, thanks to efforts by NTTA representatives and its contractors as well as officials from the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT).

"We are pleased that we'll be able to ease traffic congestion along SH 121 service roads just in time for the busy summer driving season," said Elizabeth Mow, NTTA's Director of Project Delivery. "I hope the fact that this is happening ahead of schedule lets our customers and all North Texas drivers know how committed we are to helping them get to their destinations in a timely manner."

One northbound and one southbound main lane of SH 121 between Parkwood Boulevard and Ohio Drive in Plano/Frisco opened to traffic Saturday. Motorists traveling on the SH 121 service roads will be able to drive onto the newly opened main lanes to bypass the signal lights at Preston Road.

Drivers will not be charged tolls to use the newly opened SH 121 lanes in the Preston Road area until the NTTA assumes full responsibility for SH 121 in September. Periodic closures of the new lanes may be required to ensure safe conditions for workers finishing construction in the area.

NTTA and TxDOT worked together to create a plan to ease traffic backups along the SH 121 service roads near the busy Preston Road intersection, which features a shopping mall and many businesses and restaurants. After the idea was formulated, an extensive amount of coordination occurred not only between NTTA and TxDOT but also with the contractors, who are actively constructing a nearby segment of the SH 121 main lanes.

TxDOT is working to finish SH 121 in this area, known as Segment 2, which stretches from Old Denton Road in Carrollton north to Hillcrest Road in Plano/Frisco. Meanwhile, Segment 1, which stretches from Denton Tap Road north in Coppell to Old Denton Road in Carrollton, is already open to traffic. NTTA assumed interim tolling operations on Segment 1 in early April.

NTTA will assume full responsibility for SH 121 in September, following completion of TxDOT's construction and NTTA's installation of signs, pavement markings, noise walls, and toll equipment on Segments 1 and 2.

TxDOT and NTTA executed a project agreement in October 2007 that authorizes NTTA to design, build, operate, and maintain SH 121 in Collin, Dallas, and Denton counties for approximately 50 years. NTTA made an upfront payment of $3.2 billion to TxDOT and the Regional Transportation Council of the North Central Texas Council of Governments in late November 2007. That money is expected to fund non-toll road projects and roadway improvements throughout the north Texas region.

Source: NTTA