NTTA Links Highways with Sam Rayburn Tollway Opening
The North Texas Tollway Authority marked the opening of the newest portion of the Sam Rayburn Tollway, which fully opened to traffic in fall 2009.
The NTTA opened the northern portion of Segment Three to traffic three months ahead of the completion date outlined in the authority’s project agreement with the Texas Dept. of Transportation. The southern portion opened Sept. 1, four months ahead of the completion date.
Segment Three extends approximately seven miles from Hillcrest Road to Hardin Boulevard in Collin County. The new segment rounds out 23 mi of the Sam Rayburn corridor, which extends southwest to northeast through some of the region’s fastest-growing communities. The roadway features six main lanes and all-electronic toll collection.
“Segment three was already an active corridor and had busy service roads when the NTTA took on the project,” Susan Slupecki, NTTA spokeswoman, told Texas Construction. “NTTA contractors had to work in and around live traffic in order to complete the new main lanes,”
The next portion of the SRT, Segment Four, extends from Hardin Boulevard to east of U.S. 75, and will feature the new, four-level SRT/U.S. 75 interchange scheduled to be open by January 2011.
Segment Five will add eight direct-connect bridges. The new interchange is expected to open to traffic by January 2012.
Future plans include a construction contract to add direct-connect bridges to and from the SRT and Dallas North Tollway.
The contractors for segment Three are: Houston-based Texas Sterling for 3 South and 3 Middle, known as Exchange Parkway; and Dallas-based Balfour Beatty for 3 North. The contractor for Segment Four is Houston-based W.W. Webber.
