The Collin County Observer

Congress is working on reauthorizing the "Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act: A Legacy for Users" (SAFETEA-LU) which is the Federal Government's primary road and surface transportation legislation - in other words it's the big road and bridge bill.

As part of the congressional committee process, congressmen are able to request funding for local "high priority" projects. (Otherwise known as earmarks)

In this congressional session, the City of McKinney appears to be the big winner of earmark requests. All Collin County projects requested by our area congressmen were in the McKinney area. The six McKinney earmarks totaled over $146 million.

Congressman Sam Johnson (TX-3 Rep.)

Of the $147,577,077 Congressman Sam Johnson identified as transportation "high priority projects" or earmarks, all but $29,396,736 is earmarked for McKinney area highways. Johnson earmarked five projects, one in Dallas and the four in McKinney.

US75 (Central Expressway) McKinney
Amount Requested: $$77,076,480
Plan, design, engineer and conduct environmental review for the construction of an eight-lane divided urban freeway with HOV lanes and frontage roads along US 75 from SH 121 to US 380. Proposed recipient of funding: TxDOT

US380 McKinney
Amount Requested: $14,383,861
Widening of US 380 to a six-lane divided roadway from east of Custer Road to east of Lake Forest Drive. Proposed recipient of funding: TxDOT

SH5 McKinney
Amount Requested: $22,720,000
Widening of State Highway 5 from US 380 to FM 543. The road will be widened from two to four lanes. Proposed recipient of funding: City of McKinney

SH5 McKinney
Amount Requested: $4,000,000
Improvements on State Highway 5 between FM 546 and US 380. Project components may include the construction of a median, improved traffic signals, sidewalks, crosswalks and street design. Proposed recipient of funding: City of McKinney

Congressman Ralph Hall (TX-4 Rep.)

Congressman Ralph Hall's 4th Congressional District wends its way from eastern Collin County all the way to Texarkana. Hall has requested a total of $140,017,610 for his six "high priority" mobility projects. Only one of the six are in Collin County, and you guessed it, it's in McKinney.

FM2478 (Custer Road) McKinney
Amount Requested: $27,040,000
This project involves the widening of FM 5478 (Custer Road) in McKinney from US380 to FM1461. The road will be widened from existing two-lane rural road to a four-lane with a median which will reduce collisions and improve safety for vehicles and pedestrians. The population of McKinney and surrounding areas has been increasing in recent years. Traffic volume on FM2478 was 5,340 vehicles per day in 2008, it is estimated that in 2013 the number will increase to 8,700 per day.

Bill