Near the Frisco intersection of Dallas Parkway and Panther Creek Parkway, three ramps to and from Dallas North Tollway (DNT) will be closed for 12 to 18 months in order to widen the highway.
The City of Frisco released a map of the closed ramps, which include the northbound entrance and exit ramps near Panther Creek Parkway as well as the southbound entrance ramp north of Panther Creek Parkway.
Once completed, the DNT will add one lane of traffic in each direction from State Highway 121 to U.S. Highway 380.
The widening of the highway is in response to the rapid growth of Frisco, which was named the U.S.’s second-fastest-growing city after the 2020 census. From 2010 to 2019, Frisco’s population grew by 71%.
The city of Frisco continues to grow in size. The $10 billion Frisco Fields project plans to build 3,500 homes to surround the PGA of America Headquarters. According to a 2021 study by WalletHub, Frisco is the best city to purchase real estate in the country.
Jill Gonzalez, an analyst for WalletHub, attributes its high ranking to its “maintenance affordability, population growth rate, job growth rate, unemployment rate, and median credit score.”
For the time being, Frisco and Dallas residents will undergo growing pains as the slowdown of the DNT will affect rush hour traffic.
One resident, Megan Gortat, told CBS News that her daily commute takes an hour and a half to two hours to get home from Dallas.
Despite the longer commute, Brian Moen insists the 12- to 18-month delay will benefit both Dallas and Frisco residents in the long run.
“There’s some pain upfront but a lot of benefit at the end of the day,” said Moen.
He suggested people use apps to find the quickest alternative routes. For example, Preston Road runs parallel to the tollway.