GRAYSON COUNTY, Texas (KTEN) — Grayson County officials and many others gathered Friday to celebrate the opening of Grayson Parkway, also known as FM Spur 121.

"Relieved and exited are the two words I can think of," said Grayson County Commissioner Phyllis James. "It's been long... it's been tedious... it's ebbed and flowed, and today is a great day."

This new road — linking FM 121 south to County Road 60 on the Grayson-Collin County line — is along the expansion route of the Dallas North Tollway into Grayson County.

Map shows the route of Grayson Parkway.
Map shows the route of Grayson Parkway. (TxDOT)

The $9 million project began in 2000 as a concept, and although Grayson Parkway is starting out as a free road, the goal is for it to connect to Dallas and beyond as a high-speed toll road.

"Any of the tolls will go into the bucket of Grayson County," James said. "It will be a huge economic driver for Grayson, and also will be very beneficial as far as the monies that come in when it's eventually a tollway."

And this isn't likely the final mile for Grayson Parkway.

"Grayson County is looking at further increasing this road to the north up to FM 902; that would be the next step the county is looking at," said Texas Department of Transportation engineer Noel Paramanatham.  "But as far as the state, we will maintain this roadway, and we'll monitor it as the traffic grows."

He added that the current two-lane road could grow to a controlled-access highway with four lanes and frontage road.

The ceremony opening Grayson Parkway on September 1, 2023.
The ceremony opening Grayson Parkway on September 1, 2023. (KTEN)