by TX3DNews Staff
In McKinney, Plano, Frisco — and now Princeton — the skyline’s changing fast. New terminals, entertainment districts, Shops and even a Universal theme park on the way.
But on the ground? Residents are still bracing for flash floods, dodging broken pavement, and wondering when their tax dollars will start showing up where they actually live.
From busted boulevards to backed-up drainage, the basics are being stretched thin by the very growth our cities keep celebrating.
McKinney: New Terminal, Same Broken Roads
McKinney is dropping $72 million on a new commercial terminal at McKinney National Airport, but back on the ground, the streets are crumbling. Just ask anyone who’s hit a bump on Virginia Parkway or Eldorado Parkway during rush hour.
City officials have approved $10 million in emergency street repairs, including panel replacements and curb fixes from Stonebridge to US-75. The work starts this May and won’t wrap until mid-2026.
That’s a long wait for relief — especially in a city that’s growing faster than its road crews can keep up with. More neighborhoods mean more cars. More cars mean roads that wear out quicker than the city can fix them.
Plano: A Bit More Balanced — But Still Catching Up
To its credit, Plano’s trying to keep pace. The city greenlit a $7.7 million waterline overhaul on Park Boulevard — one of its busiest streets — with plans for resurfacing and new pavement coming in 2026.
And with a $700 million bond package on the table for 2025, Plano is looking to put real money behind street improvements, stormwater systems, and long-overdue upgrades to core infrastructure.
It’s a step in the right direction. But talk to residents in older neighborhoods and you’ll still hear the same story:
“Why does my street flood every time it rains?”
Frisco: Big Promises, Bigger Distractions?
Frisco isn’t just growing — it’s building a brand. Between the $182 million Toyota Stadium renovation and the Universal Kids Resort coming in 2026, the city is aiming for top-tier status.
But while the spotlight shines on glitzy attractions, residents are left squinting at aging sidewalks and clogged water lines.
In 2025, Frisco approved about $17.4 million in utility and sidewalk repairs — a fraction of what’s being spent on headline projects.
That’s raised some eyebrows, especially in older parts of town where the infrastructure hasn’t kept up with the hype.
Princeton: Growth Without a Game Plan?
Over in Princeton, the pace of development is outstripping the city’s capacity to support it. Subdivisions keep popping up east of US-380, but traffic bottlenecks and stormwater drainage haven’t seen equivalent upgrades.
There’s no stadium or terminal here — just thousands of new rooftops, narrow roads, and infrastructure that’s playing catch-up after years of being overlooked.
City officials have acknowledged the need for long-range capital planning, but many residents are still left asking:
“Where’s the investment in the roads we actually drive every day?”
The Bottom Line: Ribbon-Cutting Over Repairs
It’s not that these cities shouldn’t dream big — it’s that they’re often dreaming past the basics.
Whether it’s pothole-patched parkways, overrun intersections, or flooded cul-de-sacs, folks across TX-03 are asking:
Can we fix what’s broken before we build what’s next?
Because at the end of the day, residents want function before flair — and that’s not too much to ask.
For more in-depth coverage of local infrastructure and development issues, visit TX3DNews.com.