Thursday, March 28, 2024

From the desk of Commissioner Andy Eads

FM 2499 Improvements

Denton County and the Town of Flower Mound are pleased to announce that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) in partnership with Denton County and the Regional Transportation Council (RTC) has funded improvements to FM 2499 from SH 121 north to Denton Creek, just inside the Grapevine city limits, at an estimated construction cost of $90 million.

Improvements will include additional capacity and grade separations at Stars and Stripes and Grapevine Mills Drive.  This section of FM 2499 is part of the original scope of the DFW Connector.  TxDOT has entered into negotiations with NorthGate Constructors to include this section of FM 2499 into the current Connector project.  Negotiations are expected to be completed this summer with construction lasting 24 months.

As the Denton County representative to the RTC, I have worked hard to make sure this important project is a priority to other regional partners as well. The entire Commissioners Court has long viewed this project as a critical link into Dallas and Tarrant counties and we are excited about its funding.

Additionally, TxDOT anticipates a July/August 2013 letting for improvements to SH 121 from the Sam Rayburn Tollway (SRT) to SH 114 at an estimated construction cost of $80 million. Improvements will include additional capacity throughout the limits of the project.  Preliminary approval of these projects, were endorsed by the RTC at their January 2013 meeting.

This partnership and these projects represent an investment of $170 million in roadway construction improvements critical to Denton County.

Copper Canyon Road Update

The Copper Canyon Road Reconstruction Project, Phase I and II are completed and have greatly improved the travel in the area.  We are now beginning to construct the intersection of Copper Canyon Road and FM 407.  Denton County and Lane Construction representatives diligently worked to create a construction schedule that inconvenienced drivers as little as possible.  We understand that there is always some inconvenience to drivers during road construction, but we tried to schedule the work to lessen the inconvenience.

The traffic control plan will be changed to the way it was at the beginning on the project, with two way traffic stopping at Canyon Oaks Drive with local access to the gun range.  The intersection will be completely closed down while Lane Construction prepares and pours the first section of the intersection.  Then this section will be opened to two way traffic while the last section of the intersection is poured.  Once the intersection is completed, it will be fully opened to two way traffic.

After the intersection is completed, Lane Construction will be constructing Phase III of the Copper Canyon Road project from the Fire Station to Orchid Hill Lane.  During this construction phase, traffic will be reduced to one lane traffic going north, just as in Phase II, but Phase I and II will be completely opened to two way traffic.  Phase III will be constructed very similar to Phase II, where one side of the road will constructed, traffic moved over to it and then the other lane will be constructed.

The intersection closure is scheduled to happen around March 11 and should be opened to two way traffic around March 25, with the intersection completed by the first part of April.  Watch the message boards and website www.dentoncounty.com for updates to the schedule.

We are hoping there will be no more surprises with unknown utilities that have to be located and that the weather will cooperate.  We do appreciate your patience in the arduous process, and I know we will all be pleased with the project once it is completed.

Docent Orientation and Training Session

The Denton County Office of History & Culture is seeking volunteers to join their growing team of docents.  Volunteers can help as museum greeters, tour guides, in educational outreach programming to the schools, in the research room and as an amateur archeologist at the Taylor farm site. Hours and days are flexible.  

A “Lunch ‘n Learn” Docent Orientation and Training session will be held on Thursday, March 21, at the Denton County Courthouse-on-the-Square from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the 1896 Room.   The training session includes a film lecture “Denton on Parade: 1905-1913” by Lavon Fulwiler.

If you are interested in learning more about Denton County, are eager to meet people who share your interests, and enthusiastic about sharing your knowledge with others, contact Gretel L’Heureux, Tourism Coordinator, at 940-349-2850 or gretel.l’[email protected].  For information online go to www.dentoncounty.com/chos and go to volunteers.  Reservations are due by Friday, March 15.

 

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