With a new section of the Dallas North Tollway set to open in late 2027, Celina officials are building a road map for future development.

What happened: At a Sept. 15 joint meeting, members of the Celina City Council and the board of the Celina Economic Development Corporation met with Kyle Talente, principal of consulting firm RKG Associates, to discuss officials’ long-term vision for land surrounding the future DNT.

In a nutshell: Officials expect DNT to drive economic growth in Celina the same way it did for other cities like Plano and Frisco, CEDC President Anthony Satarino said.

Quote of note: “This is going to be our golden highway,” council member Andy Hopkins said.

1902 Restaurant will open in downtown Prosper on Oct. 6, the business announced on social media.

What they offer: While the restaurant’s menu was still being finalized as of Sept. 27, it will feature steaks and Tex-Mex fusion, according to the business's website.

• 209 W. Broadway St., Prosper

Check out updates on five upcoming and ongoing transportation projects around Dallas-Fort Worth.

Upcoming projects

1. Silverado Trail lane expansion

Project: Silverado Trail’s westbound lanes will be constructed between Kenley Drive and Burnett Drive in McKinney, including a bridge over Rowlett Creek. The project includes relocation of an existing North Texas Municipal Water District sanitary sewer line.

Update: Design is 90% complete. The project is expected to bid in early 2027.

• Timeline: spring 2027–spring 2028

• Cost: $5.7 million

• Funding source: city of McKinney

2. Greenville Avenue reconstruction

Project: Work will feature a full concrete reconstruction of Greenville Avenue in Richardson from Centennial Boulevard to Huffhines Street. Also included will be sewer and water main improvements.

Update: Design for the project is around 60% complete, according to the city’s capital project tracker.

• Timeline: fall 2027-spring 2029

• Cost: $13.9 million

• Funding source: city of Richardson

Last fall, Gov. Greg Abbott deemed Texas "the epicenter of AI development" during an event about Google's data center investments in the state.

Since making that remark, the Republican governor has issued several directives aimed at regulating AI-powered data centers. Meanwhile, state agencies are expanding their use of artificial intelligence in government services.

The overview: At the state level, one of the primary uses of artificial intelligence is to improve government efficiency, said Tony Sauerhoff, who leads the Texas Department of Information Resources.

Down the road, that will likely mean reducing the number of staff members at state agencies, Sauerhoff said, noting that agency leaders are being "intentional" about those changes.

Zooming in: When asked which state agencies will be most impacted by AI in the coming years, Sauerhoff pointed to the Texas Department of Transportation.

TxDOT uses artificial intelligence in a variety of forms, including to analyze transportation infrastructure, determine which construction projects should be prioritized, optimize road safety plans and manage the flow of traffic, according to its AI strategic plan.