Thoroughfare Planning for Growing Counties: From Rural to Ready

Like many formerly rural areas in North Texas, Johnson County is facing rapid population growth. Fueled by the overall boom of the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex, the County’s population is projected to more than double from 150,000 in 2010 to 450,000 by 2045. 

This influx of new residents is bringing many new opportunities to the area. However, the growing pressure on the County’s transportation network is exposing critical challenges, including current and projected congestion on I-Highway 35W, US Highway 67 and State Highway 174; truck traffic in sensitive areas; high crash rates and inadequate pedestrian and transit infrastructure.

Johnson County Major Thoroughfare Plan

To address these issues, Johnson County partnered with Freese and Nichols’ Transportation Planning team to develop its 2025 Major Thoroughfare Plan (MTP), which was unanimously adopted in March 2025.

The team leveraged data analysis, travel demand modeling, public and stakeholder engagement and inter-agency coordination to create an adaptable plan for future needs while addressing the County’s current challenges.

Critical elements included: 

  • Network Development: Providing connectivity for the area at large by aligning municipal, state agency and adjacent county plans.

  • Congestion Mitigation: Improving mobility through network development and upgrading key corridors such as Farm-to-Market Road 917, a critical east-west route through the County, and proposing new arterial connections to reduce bottlenecks on major corridors.

  • Safety Improvements: Addressing high-crash and safety issue areas and establishing prioritized improvements to protect roadway system users and reduce accident costs. 

  • Freight Management: Establishing a basis for freight movement, safe railroad and low-water bridge crossings to address sensitive areas and safety risks.

  • Environmental/Land Use Integration: Minimizing impacts to floodplains, wetlands and prime farmland through right-of-way preservation and alignment with land use planning.

  • Economic Vitality: Supporting economic development partnerships through mobility improvements and leveraging voter-approved bond programming. 

Bond Program Funding

The MTP prioritizes allocating funding resources from the $60 million transportation bond approved by Johnson County voters in November 2024 — an unprecedented investment in future growth and mobility. Prepared in collaboration with Freese and Nichols’ Program Management team, this bond alone will fund 16 transportation projects throughout the County. 

The plan also laid out a comprehensive list of additional funding sources via grants and other government partnerships. This reassured taxpayers that the plan would be fiscally responsible, unlock new revenue streams and provide realistic funding solutions for the proposed projects.

Freese and Nichols’ Eddie Haas talks through the Johnson County MTP with members of the Transportation Steering Committee.
Educating the Public

Over a 16-month period, the planning team educated stakeholders and residents through a series of public meetings and workshops that identified impacts of the explosive growth, the plan’s proposed solutions and how the solutions aligned with neighboring city and county plans and regional initiatives. An online survey with an interactive map allowed residents to comment on ideas and issues like congestion and safety near schools.

A Transportation Steering Committee comprised of leaders from Johnson County and state agency ex officio members provided feedback on plan development and a final recommendation on the MTP to the Johnson County Commissioners Court.

These transparent outreach efforts made the MTP accessible and fostered trust with Johnson County residents, establishing it as a community-driven solution for the area’s shortand long-term challenges. 

Tangible Benefits

Residents and businesses will enjoy tangible benefits from the plan’s recommendations, including: 

  • Shorter commutes due to reduced congestion from redirected truck traffic

  • Safer routes for pedestrians and cyclists on bike paths and shared-use trails

  • Improved job access via expanded route and transit options

Economically, the MTP supports new developments and businesses, increasing job opportunities and county revenue. Environmentally, sustainable planning reduces idle time and air pollution and preserves natural resources, ensuring cleaner communities.

A History of Helping Counties

Due to changes in Texas law in 2019, Texas counties have taken on more responsibilities that had previously fallen to cities. They are increasingly expected to handle road, drainage and public safety needs of growing areas in their communities. 

Freese and Nichols has a proven track record of acting as trusted advisor for counties as they face this increasing demand on their resources due to rapid population growth. 

In addition to our work with Johnson County, our team has prepared thoroughfare plans for nine North Texas counties in recent years:

  • Kaufman County – completed in 2016 

  • Cooke County – completed in 2017 

  • Denton County – originally completed in 2017 and currently updating 

  • Ellis County – completed in 2019 

  • Rockwall County – originally completed in 2019 with update completed in 2024 

  • Hunt County – completed in 2022 

  • Parker County – completed in 2023 

  • Johnson County – completed in 2024

  • Wise County – currently in progress  

More Ways We Can Help Counties

Beyond thoroughfare planning, Freese and Nichols can support counties in several ways:

  • Bond Programs: Our Program Management team can assist with both bond program planning and administration, working alongside the county every step of the way — from putting together the bond and educating the public to helping coordinate with cities on bond projects and tracking and reporting progress. 

  • Funding and Financial Strategies: Our Funding and Infrastructure Management teams can help counties identify potential funding sources in addition to transportation bonds, including federal grants, low-to-zero-interest loans, impact fees and more. In the past six years alone, our Funding team has assisted clients in accessing more than $2 billion in funding.

  • Subdivision Regulations: Our Urban Planning + Design team is available to work with counties on overhauling their subdivision regulations to be more sustainable, user-friendly and easily understandable, which can be especially important for more rural counties seeing rapid growth in unincorporated areas.

To learn more about how Freese and Nichols can help your county’s growing communities thrive, please contact Client Service Leader Stanford Lynch, swl@freese.com.