NCTCOG considers plans for new bridge over Lake Ray Hubbard

NCTCOG considers plans for new bridge over Lake Ray Hubbard

(ROCKWALL, TX — September 27, 2017) The construction of a new bridge over Lake Ray Hubbard has been listed as a possible project in east-west transportation plans that are being studied by the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) as part of the county’s 2045 thoroughfare plan.

Jeff Neal, program manager for NCTCOG, revealed the plans during a Sept. 20 meeting of the Rockwall County Planning Consortium—a group composed of county officials and representatives of every city in Rockwall County.

Specifically, a preliminary option calls for extending Renner Road across Lake Ray Hubbard and connecting to John King Boulevard. Based on preliminary plans, Neal said, the extension would be a four-lane thoroughfare.

“I am pleased to have Jeff Neal and the council of governments bring this issue to the table,” said Rockwall County Commissioner David Magness, chairman of the planning consortium. “Placing this route in the 2045 thoroughfare plan will allow both COG and TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) to do a detailed study of the route.

“Generally, what is good for the region is good for Rockwall County. We all know that transportation improvements are great drivers of our economy, but they also improve our quality of life. Both of those are important to Rockwall County.”

County Judge David Sweet agreed that what’s good for the region is good for Rockwall County. He also pointed to the importance of the planning consortium, saying that Rockwall County cities are united when there are issues—like transportation needs, for example—and they all work effectively with COG and TxDOT in planning for the future and implementing those plans.

During an earlier meeting, Neal talked about major north-south projects identified in the Collin County Strategic Roadway Plan. That project, he said, made planners understand that they should also be looking at east-west projects.

As north-south facilities are improved, he said, an increased number of motorists will be using east-west facilities to reach the new or improved north-south roadways.

“So, as a result of that need, we knew that we needed to do something major in the east-west direction,” Neal said.

Neal said Plano Parkway, Farm to Market 544 and State Highway 78 are not interrupted in the north and south directions. But looking at the area between U.S Highway 75 and State Highway 205, “you’ve got a very large east-west gap in facilities that travel that entire distance.”

He went into detail to describe the route motorists must take to travel from U.S. 75 to State Highway 205.

“You have to go all the way south to Forest Lane, Lakeside Parkway, State Highway 66 to be able to find that next corridor that travels all the way from 75 to 205,” he said. “And, you have all these major facilities—Renner Road, Campbell Road, Arapaho Road, Beltline Road. Centennial—all these facilities that don’t make it the entire distance. In fact, you can see many don’t make it as far east as Highway 78.”

Neal said this is a reason there is a large amount of cut-through traffic in neighborhoods and an “enormous” volume of traffic on FM 544, State Highway 66 and Interstate 30. Most of this traffic, he said, involves motorists who are trying to get between Plano, Richardson, Garland and Rockwall County.

“And so, we think it’s important to address this east-west connectivity,” he said.

Neal then talked about the importance of the Renner Road connection.

“The wonderful thing about this connection is, think about how 78 comes from the north, goes between the lakes (Lake Ray Hubbard and Lake Lavon) and heads west,” he said. “Then, think about John King (Boulevard) becoming the main route for 205, comes up from the south and east. When you take both of those facilities across the lake, it’s like a funnel, if you will, transporting people into the main activities in Plano.”

Submitted press release.

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