The County Line
 
Last week, I had the opportunity to tour the 121 construction project with Geary Burnside, a lifelong McKinney resident, who is the project manager for TXDOT.  Geary has seen a lot of change in Collin County and with his job he has played a major role in that change.  Geary’s current project is Phase I of the six-lane expansion of SH 121 from US 75 to just west of Custer Road, a $44.5 million project with a contract time of 765 working days and is scheduled to be completed in the fall of 2005. 
 
If you have traveled this road recently you have seen much progress, even though the project is only about 10 percent underway.  For example, the right-of way has been prepped by removing and mulching trees and by replacing the old drainage system.  The new drainage system will involve cross culverts.  These are huge structures that are built to handle the additional drainage that will flow from what eventually will be a twelve-lane road-- counting the service roads that are being constructed now and the main lanes that will be constructed later.  An example of a cross culvert can be seen just west of Lake Forest Road.
 
Construction has now entered into the excavation and embankment stage.  During excavation the new service roads will be cut out.  You can already see evidence of this as you drive down 121.  The embankment stage will also be fascinating.  Most of the service roads will be up to 25 feet higher than the current grade level of the road.  Tons of additional dirt will be added and stabilized with lime.  By August you should begin to see the actual concrete being poured for both service roads.  With an asphalt base, 10 inches of concrete will be poured for the two 6.2 mile service roads. 
 
By the summer of 2004 traffic will begin to be transitioned to the new service roads.  Then construction will begin on the 121 overpass at Custer Road.  Once the overpass is completed, traffic on the service roads will have the choice at Custer of continuing through a signalized intersection or taking a one-lane exit ramp to cross Custer on the overpass.  If you look closely at the Custer and Rowlett Creek area you can see pillar type structures being built.  These will be the retaining walls for the overpass.  After the overpass is completed the current road will be taken out and the pavement will be recycled.  Much of this recycled material will be used by Collin County for asphalting county roads. 
 
Overall, this project consists of six lanes, eight bridges and an overpass.  By this time next year, work will begin on Phase II of this project, which will be the continuation of the six-lane service roads from west of Custer to the Dallas North Tollway.  Phase II will also involve a three level interchange at Preston Road.
 
These results would not be happening today if it was not for your support in the 1995 and 1999 county bond elections.  This November, Collin County will be having another bond election which will begin to address the cost of main lanes for SH121.  This project and others that will be included in the 2003 bond election can be found at www.joejaynes.com.     

    PS- On the agenda for the 9am, May 28 commissioners’ court will be 5 alignments that were selected out of the southern corridor for the Outer Loop.  No decisions for an alignment will be made at this time.  I will be proposing that we have a series of town hall meetings in the area over the course of the summer for citizen input and involvement. 
 
(County Commissioner Joe Jaynes’ email address is jjaynes@co.collin.tx.us.)