The Collin County Observer

The Collin County Observer offered its analysis on the Lake Lavon bridge issue back on March 17.

Today, The Dallas Morning News' local reporter, Ed Housewright adds to the discussion.

Bill

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Bridge plan disrupts calm of Lavon Lake

Sunday, April 19, 2009
By ED HOUSEWRIGHT / The Dallas Morning News

Todd and Kay Nordby hope to build a retirement home on Lavon Lake and enjoy a serene view of the water.

They don't want to look at a hulking six-lane bridge.

Yet the Nordbys fear momentum is building for a bridge to span the lake's southern tip and ease east-west travel. They began a Web site last month that warns of the bridge's impact.

"Our mission: preserve the peace and tranquility of Lake Lavon, its parks, equestrian trails, camp grounds, fishing, swimming, boating, picnic and recreational areas," the Web site says.

Collin County commissioners recently approved a $367,000 engineering contract to determine the bridge alignment. It's likely to skirt the Nordbys' property on the peninsula of the lake, located about 30 miles northeast of Dallas.

However, commissioners assure property owners that bridge construction probably wouldn't begin for more than 15 years.

"Any type of bridge is years and years and years away," said Commissioner Joe Jaynes, whose district includes the lake's western shore.

Officials say they need to identify an alignment and begin acquiring right of way because of the county's breakneck growth. Currently, the only east-west bridge across the entire lake is U.S. Highway 380, about seven miles north.

"This is a planning effort," said Commissioner Jerry Hoagland, whose district includes the eastern shore. "I don't think there's a need for a bridge today, very candidly, but I do think we'll need one when the eastern part of Collin County gets built out."

The project, estimated to cost at least $150 million, would consist of two bridges.

One would begin on the lake's western shore in Lucas and connect to the narrow peninsula extending south from Princeton. The second bridge would stretch from the peninsula to the lake's eastern shore, ending north of Lavon.

The entire distance of both bridges and the peninsula roadway is about eight miles.

The Nordbys dispute the need for another east-west connector, even years from now. They point out the county's eastern side is far less populated than the west, which includes Allen, Frisco, McKinney and Plano.

"Most people like the remoteness and undeveloped nature," Kay Nordby said.

The Save Lake Lavon Web site, savelakelavon.com, already has attracted heavy traffic, Todd Nordby said.

"In a short time, with very little PR, we have begun receiving offers of volunteer support and requests for information from citizens on Lake Lavon and surrounding communities," he said.

But not all lake residents oppose the bridge. Carla McCroan, who lives near Nevada on the east side, first proposed a bridge almost a decade ago because of growing traffic. She was serving on the Collin County Planning Board at the time.

"I've heard a lot of people say it [a bridge] would be a great thing," McCroan said.

The county plans to schedule public hearings within the next year on the proposed route for the bridges and peninsula roadway.

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