Upcoming Traffic Switches to Accommodate Sam Rayburn Tollway Interchange Construction

Several traffic switches will occur in the next 90 days to keep construction moving forward on the new Sam Rayburn Tollway (SRT)/U.S. 75 (Central Expressway) interchange in Allen, Fairview and McKinney.

While the next few months will bring several detours, motorists will soon see progress on the four-level interchange and be driving on new pavement.  The interchange is scheduled to open to traffic in January 2011

“We truly appreciate the public’s patience during construction,” said Elizabeth Mow, NTTA director of project delivery. “It takes time to get used to changes in traffic patterns. We advise drivers to slow down, pay attention to detour signs and advisory speed limits and be extra attentive in the construction zone.”

Details of upcoming major changes in traffic patterns and the anticipated time frames in which they are currently forecasted to occur are as follows:

• In late May 2010, the northbound exit from U.S. 75 to reach Eldorado Parkway in McKinney will be closed.  Northbound U.S. 75 drivers wishing to reach Eldorado Parkway will be rerouted to exit at Ridgeview Drive.  Motorists will exit much sooner than they had in the past to reach Eldorado Parkway.

• In June 2010, northeast-bound SRT drivers wishing to exit to northbound U.S. 75 will take the new loop ramp and then exit onto the northbound U.S. 75 frontage road.  Once they exit onto the U.S. 75 frontage road, motorists will continue on the frontage road past Eldorado Parkway, where they can enter northbound U.S. 75 via the existing entrance ramp.

• In July 2010, northbound U.S. 75 traffic will be returned back to the original side of the highway on new pavement starting at Ridgeview Drive.  Currently, all northbound U.S. 75 traffic within the project limits is shifted onto the southbound side of the highway. Two lanes of travel in both directions remain on U.S. 75.

• In August 2010, all traffic on U.S. 75 will be shifted onto the northbound side of the highway. Even though the lanes will be shifted, vehicles will still have two lanes of travel in both directions on U.S. 75.  This traffic shift will continue until the end of the year, when traffic on U.S. 75 is expected to be routed into its final, regular configuration.

The NTTA encourages commuters and businesses to sign up to receive the SRT Construction & Traffic Report via e-mail. This report, issued as often as needed, will alert you to changes in traffic patterns and provides construction updates. In addition, updated SRT project information is available electronically in the NTTA’s monthly SRT Corridor Progress Report.

To sign up for the SRT Construction & Traffic report, please send an e-mail with your contact information to srt@ntta.org and request to be added to the e-mail list. To sign up to receive the monthly electronic SRT Corridor Progress Report, go to www.ntta.org/AboutUs/Projects/projects.htm and add your e-mail address to the distribution list.

A list of scheduled lane and ramp closures is also available in a link on the front page of the NTTA’s Web site, www.ntta.org.