POTTSBORO, TX - The Highway 289 extension project began 15 years ago, with actual construction taking about two years. After millions of dollars and countless hours of work city, county and state officials gathered today to celebrate with a ceremony and ribbon cutting at SH 289 and FM 120 in Pottsboro.

"After all the work we've put in on this project it's great to see it on the ground, it's great to see people driving on the project and enjoying it,” said Grayson County Commissioner Gene Short.

Short has spent most of his term spear-heading the 289 extension. The project has been through three Grayson County judges and five or six different commissioners’ courts over the years.

"I've been really close to the project for you know 10, 12, 15 years, it means a lot to me to see the project developed and people driving on it, it means a lot to me,” said Short at today’s ribbon cutting ceremony.

15 years may seem like a long time, but former Grayson County Judge Horace Groff, who was in office when the project began, said it usually takes twice that long to get a state highway built.

"Any road project is time consuming, most of them are 15, 20 years in the planning and then as money becomes available you get to do it. But the state came up with some creative financing with the pass through toll with this road, so consequently it moved up a little further on the priority list,” explained Groff.

Thanks to pass through tolling, which allowed the county to find its own funding for the $50 million project, Grayson County was able to get it done faster.

"One of the reasons the county was willing to put money into the project and wanted the project for many years is to help develop the west side of our airport, bring economic activity to the airport and to the county,” said Short.

And after all that planning, construction finally began about two years ago with the SH 289 Builders.

"There is a lot going into the road that people don't see between getting it environmentally cleared by the right of way, doing the designs of it and then ultimately starting the construction. By the time you start construction that's really the end of the project,” said Jennie Taraborelli of SH 289 Builders.

While it did take a little longer than expected to get construction complete and the highway open, Short said they did come in under budget.

"There was a lot of people involved in this project and that's what made it work, everybody contributed to the project and that's what made it work,” said Short.

The ribbon cutting and ceremony were the final stages of the State Highway 289 extension. And Commissioner Short said over time, as more people drive the highway, the state will actually pay back the county most of the money it spent to build the road as part of the pass through tolling arrangement.