Residents review TxDOT plans for an alternative US Highway 380 route from McKinney to Farmersville. Bob Wieland/Princeton Herald

The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) is wrapping up the environmental assessment of the project to build an alternative route for US Highway 380 north of Princeton. 

But the project, estimated to cost $979 million, has not yet been funded, so construction bids won’t be let until 2027, said Travis Campbell, director of transportation planning and development from TxDOT’s Dallas district.

Campbell conducted a public briefing Thursday, Sept. 12, in the Princeton High School cafeteria.

About 60 people attended the meeting to learn how the project could affect their lives and property.

Campbell did not answer questions from the podium, but five people signed up to comment on the project. 

Anthony McPherson of Princeton said he thought the speed limit should be reduced from 50 mph to 40 mph between Beauchamp Boulevard and Fourth Street. 

“It’s hard for those businesses to survive with people going 50, 60, miles an hour, a truck behind you [and] you don’t want to turn in, you don’t want to turn out,” he said. “I have a real strong concern about those businesses.”

McPherson said the safest place to access was Walmart because of the traffic light there.

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