Collin County leaders say transportation goes hand-in-hand with economic development.
On Thursday, the Collin County Business Alliance, which is made up of employees of some of the major corporations in West Plano, such as Capital One, hosted a transportation summit.
The CCBA brings local leaders together for meetings about issues it has identified as critical to the business community, including education, water and transportation.
The summit, which was the first of its kind, featured a panel of six mayors, representing Wylie, Allen, Plano, Frisco, McKinney and Richardson.
"Transportation is like the lifeblood of a community," said Sanjiv Yajnik, chairman of the CCBA and president of Capital One. "It's not only about businesses. It's about us raising our families in a place we want to raise them."
The mayors were not talking about policy changes and politics as much as brainstorming ideas for the future of the county's infrastructure.
"Our biggest commodity is time," said Plano Mayor Harry LaRosiliere. "If we can provide our citizens the time to be with their families or be at work, then it's value-add for the community."
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LaRosiliere said recruiting new corporations and business to Plano, the feedback he's received shows the city's location and the area's highway system is one of the most important draws.
"Many people don't know when they're crossing from Plano to Frisco," he said, stressing the need to work as a collaborative unit to plan for Collin County's future.
Plano's recent budget committed $57 million to the city's road network and intersections.
However, LaRosiliere said while they've focused internally, it's just as important to plan for future Collin County growth with his city's northern neighbors.
