DENTON COUNTY, Texas — Two North Texas roads closed Wednesday, Nov. 6, for an extended period of time as crews work on a lengthy construction project along the U.S. 380 highway through Denton County.
Teel Parkway is closing north of U.S. 380, starting Nov. 6 through Nov. 26, according to the Texas Department of Transportation. Both southbound and northbound lanes of Teel Parkway will be shut down during the closure.
Providence Boulevard, which runs north from 380, is closing at 380 from Tuesday Nov. 6 through Nov. 18. The closure will begin at 1 a.m. on Nov. 6. The roadway is a main connector from the Providence Village neighborhood to 380. Drivers will instead have to detour to and from 380 through Main Street, which also connects to the neighborhood.
"That area has grown expeditiously in the last decade," said Tila Grant, a spokesperson with the Texas Department of Transportation.
Grant said crews are working to complete the project as quickly as they can.
"Some people are saying the wait at some of those signals is a bit long, so once we get all of this done, of course, traffic will flow much more smoothly, people will be able to get in and out of their neighborhoods," said Grant.
The handful of people who filled La Cima Mexican Grill And Cantina for lunch on Thursday is impressive. And it doesn’t have anything to do with the food, it’s what it took for those folks to get there.
“As you can see, they've shut down right there so you can't even turn into this neighborhood or turn out of it,” said Michael Madden.
When Madden and his family left home, they had no idea TXDOT closed Providence Blvd.
“I didn't know about it,” Madden said. “No matter which way you go, there's constant traffic, it’s constantly backed up,” Madden said.
The closure is part of a larger $135 million improvement plan along U.S. 380 from Loop 288 in Denton to the Collin County line. The project began in 2022 and was expected to last at least three years.
It’s a headache for folks like Madden and his family who live nearby.
“Nightmare is probably the biggest understatement. I mean, it's from all the way down by Kroger all the way past here,” Madden said.
But it’s even worse for those like Kevin Thomspon, who live in the subdivision Providence Blvd runs through.
“That's the main entrance and exit that we use coming out of the subdivision,” Thompson said. “The other option is Main Street and you know I can look at it at 6:15 in the morning and it's already backed up.”
The congestion stems from a massive growth spurt in the area.
“More houses are being built, more people are moving out here,” Thompson said. “So you know it’ll get worse before it gets better.”
The project is now estimated to be completed by spring of 2026.
The project will widen 380 to three lanes on both sides and also elevate the highway over five different intersections so drivers can avoid stoplights. Frontage roads will have improved intersections and turn lanes to help separate and move traffic, too.
“When it's open, it's going to be worth it. Just getting there is a pain,” Madden said.
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