A resource for home buyers relocating to Dallas, Richardson, and Plano
When you move to a new city, the house is only half the equation. The other half is the drive.
North Texas is a sprawling metroplex. Distance here is measured in minutes, not miles. A house in Plano might sit only 20 miles from Downtown Dallas, but during rush hour that drive can stretch close to an hour.
If you’re relocating to Dallas, Richardson, or Plano, understanding how traffic flows before you choose a neighborhood matters. The right location can give you hours of your life back every week. Jamie helps clients map out their daily routines before they commit to an address — here’s exactly what you need to know about highways, tolls, and public transit in the area.
The Highway Layout: The Wheel and Spoke
To understand Dallas traffic, picture a wheel with spokes. Downtown Dallas sits at the center. Major highways radiate outward like spokes into the suburbs, and large highway “loops” circle the city to connect those suburbs to one another.
Which spoke and which loop you live near will shape your entire daily routine.
The Major Highways You Need to Know
There are dozens of highways across the DFW metroplex. If you’re looking at Richardson, Plano, or North Dallas, these four arteries will carry most of your daily miles.
1. US-75 (Central Expressway)
US Highway 75 runs straight north and south. Locals call it “75” or “Central.” It’s the primary free highway connecting Dallas to Richardson, Plano, and McKinney.
Traffic on 75 is heavy but predictable. The morning rush flows south toward Dallas; the evening rush flows north toward the suburbs. Live in Dallas and work at a corporate headquarters in Plano? You get a “reverse commute” — driving opposite the heaviest traffic, which can save significant time.
2. Interstate 635 (LBJ Freeway)
This is the inner loop. I-635 circles Dallas and marks the dividing line between the city and the northern suburbs. It’s notoriously busy, though a recently completed project — the LBJ Express — added subterranean express lanes you can access with a variable toll to bypass the main traffic.
3. The Dallas North Tollway (DNT)
Running parallel to US-75, the Dallas North Tollway (“the DNT”) is a paid road and the fastest way to get from Downtown Dallas up through West Plano and into Frisco. Higher speed limits, a well-maintained road, and easy access to major corporate offices and luxury shopping line the route.
4. President George Bush Turnpike (PGBT)
This is the outer loop. The PGBT wraps around the northern suburbs and serves as the border between Richardson and Plano. Living in Richardson and need to get to DFW Airport quickly? The PGBT west is usually the move.
The Reality of Texas Toll Roads
Toll roads are unavoidable in North Texas — they’re a core part of the infrastructure, and they save time and reduce congestion on the free highways.
What to do: Get a TollTag as soon as you move. The North Texas Tollway Authority (NTTA) issues these tags — a small windshield sticker that automatically deducts the toll from your prepaid account when you pass under a scanner.
Skip the tag and drive on toll roads anyway, and the state will mail a bill to your registered address — called “ZipCash.” ZipCash rates run at least 50% higher than TollTag rates, so setting up an NTTA account your first week here saves both money and hassle.
Public Transit: Mastering the DART System
Many people assume Texas is only for cars. Not quite — the Dallas Area Rapid Transit (DART) system operates a substantial light rail network.
If you’d rather skip the traffic altogether, buying a home near a DART station is a smart real estate move.
Why Richardson is a transit hub: Richardson is well connected to the DART system, with four major stations on the Red and Orange lines: Spring Valley, Arapaho Center, Galatyn Park, and CityLine/Bush.
Park at one of these stations, hop on the train, and ride straight into the Dallas Arts District or the American Airlines Center for a Mavericks game.
The Orange Line runs directly to DFW Airport, and the upcoming Silver Line expansion will add cross-town transit connecting Plano, Richardson, and the airport — a major perk for frequent travelers and downtown professionals.
Expected Commute Times (During Rush Hour)
Realistic drive times during the peak morning commute (7:30–8:30 AM):
Richardson to Downtown Dallas: 25–35 minutes via US-75
Plano to Downtown Dallas: 40–55 minutes via US-75 or DNT
Richardson to DFW Airport: 35–45 minutes via PGBT
North Dallas to Legacy West (Plano): 20–30 minutes via DNT
Local Tips for a Better Drive
Always use a map app. Even on a familiar route, turn on Waze or Google Maps — accidents happen frequently, and the app will route you around a sudden closure on US-75 before you get stuck.
Check the sun. Driving east in the morning means heading straight into the Texas sunrise; driving west in the evening means heading into the sunset. It sounds minor, but it makes a real difference in daily comfort.
Consider flexible hours. If your job allows it, shifting your schedule by even 30 minutes can change everything. Leaving at 7:00 AM instead of 7:30 AM can shave 15 minutes off your drive.
Map Your Move
Don’t guess your commute. Before writing an offer on a house, plug the address into a map app and check the travel time during rush hour. Sometimes a house slightly farther out is actually a faster drive because it sits closer to a tollway entrance.
